A World of Capsule Monsters
by FlikFreak
Summary: Capsule Monsters novelization. When a trip to India goes terribly wrong, Yugi and his friends find themselves trapped in a dangerous alternate reality. Will they ever get home, or will they remain trapped in the world of Capsule Monsters forever?
1. A Ruined Vacation

Okay, okay, I know some of you that are reading this want me to be updating "The Shadow Games" and making the chapters spiffier and whatnot, maybe posting _new_ chapters sometime this century. Trust me, I'm working on it, but for now I don't feel entirely too much motivation so I thought I'd write this to get my inspiration back. I don't plan on continuing this, at least not for very long, as this kind of came randomly. If anyone likes it though, I may keep writing it.

We're all familiar with Capsule Monsters…at least some of us are. Well, I always liked the concept of people getting tossed into a new realm entirely. (Like what happened with Sora in the beginning of Kingdom Hearts? That kind of thing.) The Capsule Monsters arc fit this pretty well, so I decided to write at least the beginning of it, maybe continue if people were interested. (Now that I think about it, was this show ever released in Japan…?)

For the sake of everyone's sanity, however, I'll use the English version of the characters' names. That also means Yugi gets only one "u" in his name instead of two. Also, Yami's going to stay Yami. Calling him Pharaoh just sounds silly. I won't, however, be using some of the typical Japanese expressions. I know some of you really like that, but I've decided not to use them.

(I recently edited this once I released it, error that Yugi spoke instead of Joey. That was fixed. XD)

_Saa, geimu no jikan da!_ Let's go!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters!**

**Game One: A Ruined Vacation**

* * *

It was dark. Very, very dark. Yugi wandered about aimlessly as he tried to make heads and tails of his new environment. All he saw was a long line of pillars before him and the tiled ground he walked on; everywhere else there was just a shadowy mist. Every now and then he would call out, but there was usually no answer. A bad feeling was running up his spine. Something definitely seemed out of place. Not only that, but the air seemed to give off an incredibly foreboding vibe.

A sudden jolt shook Yugi out of his thoughts, and he gazed about wildly for the source of it. It didn't take long; a familiar figure landed on the ground in front of him. Yugi didn't have to look for very long to find out who it was.

"Yami? What're you doing here?" Yugi did a double take. It was Yami alright, but for some unknown reason he was wearing some sort of gold armor…

There was a roar and Yami threw one of his arms to the side, signaling his partner to stand back. "This isn't the best time for questions," he said sternly. Normally Yami always sounded stern and serious, but not quite to this extent. Yugi had known the spirit for quite some time, and as such he could tell when something suspicious was going on. It didn't take him long to find out what; an enormous shadow stood above them both, its eyes gleaming a fierce, blood-red tint.

Before either of them could move, the shadow swiftly reached downward, its hand aiming for the spirit. Yami leapt to the side nimbly, causing the fist to slam into the ground, kicking up not dirt, but more shadows. The spirit spun around, his crimson eyes locking onto his partner. "Run while you can!" He screamed frantically before he was bound by the shadows. As he was lifted into the air threateningly, the shadows spoke.

**Your little friend belongs to **_**me**_** now, boy!**

Yugi was scared – terrified, even – but he stood his ground. He glared furiously at the beast in front of him. "Who are you?!" he demanded.

**It'll be clear in good time, mortal…just as soon as you join our little **_**game,**_** that is!**

As the shadow cackled in laughter, Yugi raced forward, crying out desperately for Yami. He had to get him out of there, he had to save him! There was no telling what could happen to him. As he stepped forward, however, he fell into an endless abyss…

…and landed on his bedroom floor.

Yugi groaned as he pushed himself up off the floor. For a while now, he kept having nightmares that were very similar to each other…they were beginning to get on his nerves in more ways than one. Glancing at the clock, he noted that it was time to get dressed for school. As he stood, however, something else caught his attention: the Millennium Puzzle that took him eight years to solve, the same puzzle that had introduced him to the spirit he called Yami. For some reason, it was pulsing.

* * *

That Friday started just like any other, and Yugi had brought yet a new game to play with. At recess, he set up a desk with his best friend, Tea Gardner, and he began playing. The game went smoothly with Yugi explaining the rules as he went (he usually did, since he was constantly bringing new games to school). As the brunette girl found, however, this was yet another game filled with strategy.

It wasn't long before a new face showed up: Tristan Taylor. "Hey, guys!"

Tea waved cheerfully. "Hey, Tristan! Feel like replacing me before Yugi beats me again?"

Tristan laughed quietly. "I think I'll pass this time," He replied, quickly turning his eyes to the landscape-decorated board in front of him. "What's this new game you've got here, Yugi?"

"Capsule Monsters," Yugi explained, beaming happily. "I played it with Mokuba a long time ago (1), but they made a newer version recently. Grandpa seemed interested in it a while ago, so I'm trying it out myself."

"Looks like fun," Tristan said, holding up one of Yugi's spare pieces to examine. It closely resembled one of Yugi's favorite Duel Monsters, the Celtic Guardian.

"It is," Tea replied as she moved one of her pieces forward, "But nothing changes how hard it is to _win_ when you're up against Yugi."

"You can say that again!" Tristan said, laughing. After a moment, he turned his gaze back to his other friend. "By the way, is your Grandpa back from that expedition in India yet?"

Yugi shook his head, his smile fading into a somewhat disappointed frown. "Not yet…his flight was supposed to have come in last night. I guess it got delayed."

Before anyone could say another word, one more familiar face burst through the door holding four strange scraps of paper in his hand. He was apparently very happy, as he was cheering and laughing constantly. This, of course, would have earned him strange looks from everyone in the classroom, but it was such a regular occasion that people only gave him a passing glance.

Yugi, however, paid attention. "Hi, Joey. Having a good day?"

Joey Wheeler, however, hardly heard his friend over his own excitement. "You'll never guess what I've got in my hand!" He cried, giggling like a boy who had just won a pony from the circus.

"Looks like scraps of paper to me," Tea muttered loudly, cocking an eyebrow in slight embarrassment. Joey could act a bit immature and downright strange sometimes, but she couldn't remember the last time he got _this_ excited over anything.

Fortunately, she didn't have to ask for an explanation. "I entered a contest on the way to school," Joey began in-between breaths, "And I won the grand prize! Four tickets to India for a week! You hear that?! A whole _week!"_

Yugi laughed. "What do you plan on doing with all those tickets, Joey?" He asked. "I see four of _them_ and only one of _you_."

"Well, do _you_ guys wanna come?" The blonde immediately asked, his grin spreading even further across his face. "The scheduled date for the trip is during Spring Break, so it works out perfectly."

"Sure," Tea replied. "I'll ask my parents. They're off on a business trip then."

"I'll leave my grandpa a note," Yugi said, agreeing. "I'm sure he won't mind."

Tristan nodded. "My parents are on their anniversary vacation. I'm pretty sure they'll agree whole-heartedly."

"Then it's settled!" Joey cried triumphantly, throwing a fist into the air. "We're goin' to India in two days!"

* * *

That day after school, the four of them were walking home feeling particularly cheerful thanks to Joey's luck earlier that morning. Joey was, of course, dancing while walking down the street, which earned a roll of the eyes and a smirk from Tristan while Tea and Yugi were following behind, chuckling.

It didn't take long for Joey and Tristan to whip up a mock-argument. Yugi grinned, and cast a glance to his friend next to him. "This sure sounds like fun. It definitely won't get dull around those two."

To Yugi's surprise, Tea suddenly seemed less enthusiastic about the idea. "I guess," she responded weakly, quickly looking away to avoid Yugi's concerned look. She definitely had a bad feeling about this. Whenever Yugi went anywhere with them, some sort of trouble usually ended up happening. She couldn't list the number of examples there were; her friend just seemed to be a magnet for trouble ever since she first knew him. For once, she just wanted to have a vacation and simply relax, without having to worry about magic or Shadow Realms…

"Tea?"

The brunette quickly snapped out of her daze when she heard the voice next to her. For a moment she thought she had been hearing things, but sure enough, there stood Yugi's other persona. "Oh…hey, Yami."

The spirit grinned at her and turned toward the two in front of them, whom had already begun a sort of victory chant. Tea chuckled. Even if they did run into trouble in India, at least those two would be there to entertain them.

* * *

The trip to the airport was relatively short thanks to the public bus and the fact that all four of the friends lived close to the airport. It was worth it, however; they got their own private plane to travel in. Joey and Tristan were the first to board, followed by Tea (whom was reluctant to board at first since it looked so small, but once inside it seemed just fine) and finally Yugi.

Time seemed to fly by fast. Within hours, they were already over the continent of Asia, and the four friends were staring out the window in awe. Tea was already planning on bungee jumping, much to the relief of Yugi, whom had noticed her reluctance the previous Friday. Smiling brightly, he looked out his own window. He had a strong feeling that this trip was definitely going to be one to remember.

Little did he know that he was right…but not in a good way.

Tristan was readying his digital camera for a photo of outside the window when the entire plane shook. The copilot glanced back at them. "We're experiencing some minor engine problems," he stated, his calm tone betraying the nervous features on his face. "Please remain calm."

Of course, it was much easier said than done when the plane began plummeting to the ground. Terrified, everyone clung to their armrests as the humming of the propellers began to gradually halt. The pilot could be heard crying out "Mayday" constantly in the cockpit, and within moments the plane brushed across treetops and skimmed across the river where it finally smashed to a stop on the beach.

After what seemed like hours, Yugi slowly cracked open one eye to find that he (and everyone else) was, thankfully, still alive. The copilot approached him. "I apologize for the inconvenience, sir. Your friends are on the beach. Please wait there until we find help."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yugi unbuckled his seatbelt and stood, exiting the plane while Tea remained inside to approach the pilot.

Joey and Tristan were sitting near an outcropping of rocks. Yugi quickly joined them. "Are you two okay?"

Tristan nodded. "I am, but I think Joey isn't."

While Yugi was expecting an injury of some sort, it looked more Joey's morale had been harmed than anything. "I lost everything I packed," The blonde said in exhaustion. "Where's Tea? Is she hurt?"

Yugi shook his head. "No, she's fine. She just stayed behind to talk to the pilot for a moment."

Almost as though on cue, Tea emerged from the wreckage. "Everyone okay?"

"We're fine," Joey replied, still sounding as though he had run a marathon. "How's the pilot?"

"He said the plane is in bad shape, but the communication system is still working." She glanced back at the pile of metal that had once been their miniature private jet. "The pilot sent a distress signal, but he told me that it'd take a while before a rescue team gets here. The area's pretty remote."

Joey stood up with a renewed vigor. "I don't know about you guys," he said, "but I'm not going to spend my week off waiting for help. I'm ganna go look around." With that, he took off with Tristan in tow. "Later!"

Yugi winced. "Wait, guys! We have no idea where we are; we might get lost!"

"Give it up, Yugi," Tea said, half annoyed and half amused. "I don't think anything is going to stop them at this point." Reluctantly agreeing, Yugi followed Tea to join their other two friends.

To their surprise, the forest wasn't that intimidating. They were careful to avoid going too far from the plane, but the trees kept getting thicker no matter what direction they went. Soon, they couldn't even see the beach anymore, and decided that it was time to head back.

"Joey," Tea said bluntly, "I think we're lost."

"Quit worrying," Joey replied, a bright grin on his face. "I have a good sense of direction. This way should lead us to the plane."

"We've been walking this way for hours," the brunette promptly protested.

Joey almost sulked, focusing on the path in front of them. "Good point...but you got any better ideas?"

Tea sighed. "No, not really…" Joey might have gotten them into this mess – mostly unintentionally – but they really couldn't help it if they were lost. All they could do for now was keep walking.

"Guys, look!"

Everyone's heads spun in Tristan's direction as he turned to look back at them from over his shoulder. Joey had backed up anxiously against a nearby tree at the sudden sound, and Yugi did his best to stay alert. "Over here!" The brown-haired young man called, pushing through a nearby bush. "I found something!"

"It's not some creepy animal, is it?" Tea asked nervously.

"Not an animal...a person!"

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

I come in peace, I swear! I'm one of the few (the few that I know, anyway) that enjoyed Capsule Monsters, and I've wanted to novelize it for a while now. So, here it is.

(1) Capsule Monsters featured early in the Yugioh series as "Capmon" and "Capsule Monster Chess." Yuugi played it first against Mokuba (in the anime, he played it with Miho's stalker), and against Mokuba again in Death-T 4. The version in the spin-off show is a lot differently designed.


	2. Alex Brisbane

I had a good author's comment to put here, but I forgot what it was. XD Oh, well!

_Saa, geimu no jikan da!_ On with chapter two!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Two: Alex Brisbane**

* * *

The person Tristan had found behind the bushes turned out to be fine – he'd only been knocked out for a while. He took a while to wake up, but after a good (and quite long) drink of water, he seemed to be fine, aside from the dirt on his face and clothes along with his messy blonde hair. As he handed the water bottle back to Tea, he took a deep breath. "Thank you," he told her, "I'm feeling much better now…"

As he shifted where he was sitting, however, something fell out of his jacket and next to Yugi. As he picked it up to hand back to the man, he did a double take, his eyes widening considerably. What he had picked up was a strange square of cloth, but not just any…

"Sir," Yugi began, "Where did you find this? This looks exactly like my grandfather's bandana…"

The man gawked for a very brief moment, and then leapt forward and grasped Yugi by his shoulders. "You are Dr. Mutou's _grandson_?!" he exclaimed.

Yugi hesitated, blinking in surprise at the gesture. For some strange reason, he felt a bad vibe coming from this man, and he could tell that Yami did as well. Deciding to avoid the subject, he simply nodded. "Ah…yes, sir, I am. Do you know where he is?"

The man sat back. "Dr. Mutou is a colleague of mine," He stated, somewhat sadly, "As well as my mentor and friend. On our last expedition in this area, he disappeared…"

A collective gasp resounded as the man stood to his feet. "I don't believe I've introduced myself yet. My name is Doctor Alex Brisbane. If you'd like, I can take you to where your Grandfather disappeared to."

Needless to say, Yugi and his friends promptly agreed.

* * *

As they walked, Yugi felt a tug at the corner of his mind. Looking next to him, he saw the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle floating next to him in his usual transparent form, looking somewhat anxious (which would look like an annoyed look to anyone else, but Yugi knew better). _Is something wrong?_ Yugi asked.

Yami gave him a suspicious look. _Well, Yugi, don't you think that this whole situation is a bit…suspicious?_

Yugi blinked. _What do you mean?_ He asked._ This is more like a miracle if you ask me, especially considering how long Grandpa's been missing._

_That's precisely what I mean,_ Yami replied. The spirit might have had a strange choice of words, but he didn't seem all too happy about the current events. _Joey wins a trip to India, which is where your Grandfather is on an expedition. Our plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, where we meet someone whom recently saw your Grandfather vanish. I get the feeling this isn't just a coincidence._ With that, Yami vanished within the puzzle again

For a moment, Yugi pondered his friend's words. It made sense; if it was a coincidence it was a very fishy one. He decided to keep quiet, however, and follow Dr. Brisbane through the woods with his friends. What Yugi saw through the clearing surprised him, but he also expected something along the lines of this.

"There it is," Dr. Brisbane said, gesturing toward what was at the bottom of the cliff, "The reason your Grandfather and I came here."

It was a large pyramid, nestled down in the valley below the cliff, with a long stone pathway leading to the entrance. It didn't take long for Yugi to make heads or tails of things – his grandfather was an Egyptologist before, after all – but something still wasn't right. As he stared in amazement, Yami appeared again, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

Tristan was the first to speak up about it. "I thought pyramids were a feature of Egypt, not India."

Dr. Brisbane nodded. "I'm aware of that," he replied. "Dr. Mutou and I were as surprised by this as you are right now. What we discovered inside, however, was what truly caught our attention…"

"What's inside?" Yugi promptly asked.

"It would be easier just to show you," Dr. Brisbane replied. "Please follow me."

This man had to be foolhardy…at least Yugi thought so. If his grandfather had vanished in there, then it must have been dangerous. If _that _was true, then why was this man leading them in there if they could disappear too?

After Yugi quickly placed aside his suspicion for the man, the group promptly began their descent into the valley toward the pyramid. It was a long walk, so Joey asked Dr. Brisbane about the pyramid, to which the man gladly began to explain.

"It was supposedly constructed two thousand years ago by Alexander the Great during his conquest," the man replied. "It was later named Pyramid of Alexander…of course, this is only a theory. He controlled Egypt at one point, so that made him one of the great Pharaohs."

This definitely caught Yami's attention, but he remained silent. "I can see how that explains the pyramid," Tea said quietly, "But we're not anywhere near Egypt, so why was it built _here_?"

Dr. Brisbane shook his head. "That's what Dr. Mutou and I came to find out. Unfortunately, once we entered, I was the only one that was able to make it outside."

Yugi didn't like the sound of this at all. His grandfather was still in there somewhere, hopefully alive. When Dr. Brisbane entered, so did Yugi – and his friends followed closely behind him.

* * *

The inside of the pyramid was incredibly dark. Dr. Brisbane warned everyone to stay close. It didn't take them long to find out why, as the pyramid was riddled with traps. Joey, whom had been quietly lamenting about his ruined vacation, was unfortunate enough to find the first one, where he nearly ended up impaled by spikes from the ground. As they crawled through a narrow passageway, Tea began to get suspicious. "You know an awful lot about this place," she said. "Are you sure you've only been through here once?"

Dr. Brisbane nodded. "Yes, unless you include the occasion in which that I had to get back out. I learned quickly to pay close attention to my environment."

Yami wasn't sure he believed it, but both he and Yugi remained silent.

At last, the group reached a small room with two staircases next to each other: one leading up and one leading down. "This is where I last saw Dr. Mutou," Dr. Brisbane explained. "We split up at this point. I came back from a dead end to rejoin him and he was nowhere to be found."

"So you didn't actually _see_ him disappear," Tristan stated, absently slipping a hand into his pocket. "So how did you know he was gone?"

"It's simple," the man replied, "I called to him for hours in the room beyond the staircase and received no answer. All I found was his headband lying on the floor."

The group, after a short agreement, continued down the stairwell. Proceedings were silent until they reached the end, where an enormous room awaited. It was definitely big enough to get lost in, that much was for sure, but what caught everyone's attention the most was the gigantic map that was sprawled across the floor. While Yugi stared in awe, Yami appeared next to him, his gaze full of a much stronger suspicion than earlier.

"Well," Joey began, "If Yugi's grandpa is in here, what're we standing around for? Let's look for him already!" With that, he ran forward recklessly, ignoring his friends' desperate cries for him to stop.

He quickly regretted it. As he stepped on the map on the floor, a bright, golden glow began to surround him. A strange wind began to blow up from the floor, catching him off guard and suddenly binding him to the spot. With a frantic cry, Joey turned to run back, but was unable to escape before he _fell_ out of sight.

Yugi, Tea and Tristan rushed forward to aid him, but the glow had already faded…and so had Joey. "What's going on?" Tea cried. "Where's Joey?"

"Probably the same place Mr. Mutou is," Tristan replied quickly, looking a bit more nervous than before.

Yugi heard them, but ignored their comments for the time being. Instead, he had knelt down to examine the map. There were different landscapes all over it. He had seen this in two places before: the Duelist Kingdom tournament that Pegasus had held and somewhere else…

Dr. Brisbane seemed to notice Yugi's fascination with the map, and he spoke. "According to my research," He stated somewhat slowly, "That map is supposed to contain some sort of ancient game."

Yugi's eyes narrowed slightly. Of course, now it all made sense! His grandfather _loved_ games; no wonder he had been so adamant on visiting this place! Making a quick decision, Yugi stood. "Alright guys. I don't know about you, but I'm not leaving Grandpa and Joey in there alone. I'm going in."

Dr. Brisbane recoiled in shock. "Are you mad?! There's no telling what's on the other side!"

Yugi nodded, a confident look on his face. "I have to if I'm going to get them out of there."

"Well, count me in," Tea said, smiling.

"Me too," Tristan added. "Don't leave me out of the action."

Yugi gave a guilty smile and stared at the ground. "Sorry, guys, but I've put you through enough trouble in the past few months already. You should-"

"You really have to stop doing that," Tristan said, cutting his friend off. "It's never worked before, and it's not working now, so let's go." With a smirk, he and Tea grabbed either of Yugi's arms and raced forward onto the map, leaving behind a completely shocked Dr. Brisbane.

With a flash of golden light and a burst of wind, they were gone.

**To be continued…**

* * *

Yet another cliffhanger. Honestly, this is probably a talent of mine. Anyway, now that our heroes are done beating around the bush, it's time we get to the good stuff…next chapter, anyway. Beware of giant bugs and egg-shaped rocks, folks.


	3. Separated

I didn't actually think I did too well on this, but apparently some people like it, so I'm going to keep going when I get a chance. My sister is coming over on Monday, so you might not see any chapters for a while. Because of that, I'll go ahead and work on some to entertain you people for a while. I'll try not to rush things though...I can't have this turning out crappy like my season zero novelization (which I'm still working on, I promise!)

_Saa, geimu no jikan da!_ Chapter three, coming right up!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Three: Separated**

* * *

It took a while for Yugi to adjust to his new surroundings. It hadn't exactly been comfortable falling from a rip in the sky…whatever sky he had fallen from. He was at least thankful that he, Tristan and Tea were still in one piece. Yami was clearly upset about something, as he swore a few times when Yugi finally came to. Sitting up, Yugi glanced down to make sure the Millennium Puzzle was still around his neck – which thankfully it was – and turned his attention to his friends. "Are you guys okay?" He asked.

"We were more worried about you," Tristan responded. "When we landed you were out cold for a few minutes."

"Sorry," Yugi replied sheepishly.

"Shouldn't we be more worried about where we are?" Tea asked, glancing around. "It looks like we're near in the jungle near the plane crash again."

Yugi had to agree as he took in their surroundings. She was right; this forest looked almost exactly the same as the one they had been in earlier that day. Something, however, seemed very different. "I get the feeling we're not in India anymore, though," Yugi stated. As he started to stand up, however, he felt an extra weight that was somewhat familiar. It reminded him of when he wore a duel disk at the Battle City tournament, but this felt somewhat different. When he looked, he was rather surprised.

Tea noticed as well. "Where'd this come from?" she asked, staring at the contraption on her arm. It was similar to some miniature cannon that had been strapped there, only it was rather small and was made of gold – a type quite similar to the gold that made Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, only lighter in weight. They even seemed to be inlaid with some sort of jewels…at least, it seemed that way.

"Don't look at me," Tristan replied, "I'm more worried about these belts!"

Yugi glanced down. They were indeed wearing belts…belts with some strange loops in them, probably for holding something, but what they were to hold remained a mystery for the trio. "Well, at least we're still together," Yugi said. "Now we just need to find Grandpa and Joey and we can leave."

The three friends stood warily, beginning their search. It was fruitless, however, since as they kept walking and calling out to their lost friends, no response was given. It wasn't long before they decided they needed a new plan.

"Calling out their names is getting us nowhere, guys," Tea said. "We need another way to find them."

Tristan shook his head. "Well, I doubt we'll be able to see much if we climb any of these trees. There're plenty of cliffs around here, and who knows whether or not Joey ended up on one of them."

"You've got a point there…"

Yugi sighed, but it wasn't long before something else caught his attention. Kneeling down, he examined something in front of him. It was a strange rock shaped similar to an egg, but it looked more like some sort of container the way it was designed. The part that especially caught his attention was the wadjet eye in the center. As he glanced up around the road, Yugi quickly realized that this wasn't the only stone; there were tons of them scattered about. "Guys, take a look at this."

Tea and Tristan immediately diverted their attention. "What's that?" Tea asked.

"I don't know," Yugi responded. "I know I've seen it somewhere before, though."

Yami promptly appeared next to Yugi, kneeling in a similar position as the boy. While Yugi was looking on in curiosity, Yami was more wary of anything. Yugi began to reach forward curiously. _What do you think it is, Yami?_

_Be careful,_ the spirit warned. _It could be dangerous._

Yugi's fingers were just inches from the strangely-shaped stone when his attention was jerked away. "Wait," Tristan said quietly. "I thought I heard something."

Tea rolled her eyes. "We're in the middle of the jungle," she replied flatly. "Are you sure it wasn't a bird or something like that?"

"Do birds growl and make stampeding sounds?" Tristan protested.

Tea's eyes widened as all sound drained from the area. Yugi stood warily, and Yami was right next to him. _I don't hear anything at all,_ Yugi said, hoping that his partner would know something.

_I think that's precisely why we should all be on our guard,_ Yami replied.

Yugi never had the chance to ask the spirit what he meant. As he began to form a question, a low rumbling noise caught his attention, steadily growing louder. "Shouldn't we be running?" Tea said nervously.

No one had to answer. In fact, before anyone _could_, three insectoid monsters the size of horses leapt from the path behind them. The three friends took off running at top speed, but the creatures were gaining quickly. Yugi didn't dare to look back, but he had a feeling he had seen those creatures before.

The three came to an intersection within moments. Before they could move, however, they were stopped by an enormous mantis-like creature. It wasted no time in slashing downward at the humans with a razor-sharp claw, and the group barely dodged…but they became separated as a result.

Tea and Tristan cried out to their friend as the three large bugs pursued them. Yugi, however, had gone in the opposite direction with the mantis hot on his trail. Even so, he was not stopped from returning their cries.

* * *

The echoes of a familiar voice reached Joey's ears as he struggled to his feet. One moment he had been in that pyramid with his friends, desperate to find Yugi's grandfather, next thing he knew he had woken up on some cliff in the middle of nowhere with a weird armlet and a belt that he knew he didn't put on that morning for the trip to India.

Taking a deep breath, Joey called out for Yugi, knowing somewhere in his mind he would not succeed, but he had no other alternative.

A whistling noise resounded behind the blonde. He spun around just in time to see a dark, demonic-looking bird of prey swoop and pick him up by his arms. Surprised and scared, Joey let out a scream of terror.

* * *

Tea and Tristan were desperate to get cover somewhere. The monsters were indefinitely gaining on them, and they were running out of space to run. Tea wasted no time in nimbly leaping over – or stepping on, in the case of one of the strangely-shaped stones – any of the obstacles in her path. Unfortunately for Tristan, he nearly tripped on another one of the stones (which he then mentally swore were there for the sole purpose of impeding their escape). It didn't take long to find a place to hide, however, as Tristan quickly pointed out a small cave opening in the stone wall up ahead.

"Are you nuts?!" Tea cried. "There's no telling what's in there!"

"It's better than being chased by these bugs!" Tristan responded, to which Tea immediately and wordlessly agreed. At the last minute, the two lowered themselves to the ground (Tea dove headfirst while Tristan went in baseball style) and skidded into the small opening, hoping that they would be safe from the monsters outside.

When they entered the cave, however, they found themselves falling down a dark tunnel. Tea shouted out a small protest as the two tumbled through darkness, landing face-first in sand as they exited the tunnel.

Tristan dragged himself up and rubbed his eyes clear of sand. "Looks like we lost them," he said, tired.

After Tea managed to sit up and clear off her own face, she could only nod in agreement before taking in where they had ended up. They were sitting on a beach at the edge of a cliff – on top of which was the jungle they had just escaped. "I'm not too happy about this," The brunette stated. "First we lose track of Joey, and now Yugi's gone, too."

"He can take care of himself," Tristan replied confidently, even through his lack of energy. "He's got Yami to help him out."

While she knew Tristan was trying to reassure her, Tea didn't feel much more at ease knowing that Yugi only had a spirit to help him out. Yugi couldn't even defend himself all that well; he wasn't exactly athletic aside from the fact that he could run pretty quickly. As she stood up to take a look around for some shelter, Tea caught sight of two strange figures behind them…and she wasn't too excited to meet them.

"Tristan…we're not alone!"

* * *

Yugi had never run so quickly before in his life. For once he was glad that he had been picked on by bullies – it trained him in running incredibly fast. Being short didn't necessarily _help_ his speed, but the fact that he was light made sure that he wasn't slowed down.

He didn't dare to look behind himself, as he heard the sounds of trees falling to the ground and more foliage being sliced through like butter. He knew he couldn't keep this up for long, and his eyes darted about for an escape. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glint of something bright: the sunlight reflecting off of a lake. Making a hasty decision, he leapt from the path and dove into the water, where he quickly swam along the shore away from the monster that had pursued him.

It was hard to keep his eyes open while underwater, but Yugi somehow managed. Once the Mantis was out of sight, he tore to the surface of the water where he gasped for breath and swam to shore. After double-checking to make sure his Millennium puzzle was still in place, he crawled behind a rock and sat, exhausted.

_At least I'm still alive,_ he thought, _But what about the others?_

Yami appeared next to him, sitting calmly. _I'm sure they're fine,_ he replied, _But this place is incredibly dangerous. We need to find them before anything else happens._

Yugi gave a mental nod in agreement and stood, heading into the forest again. It may have bee futile to call out names, but Yugi wasn't being given much of a choice. He had not walked far when he heard the bushes rustling behind him. Spinning around, he saw a very familiar face in front of him: the mantis that had chased him just moments earlier.

Yugi couldn't find the strength to run, and simply stood, terrified. As the mantis slashed down with one of its razor-sharp claws, Yami seized control of the plight leapt out of the way just as the blade came crashing into the earth. Regaining balance, Yami hand-vaulted off of a nearby stone and landed nimbly on the ground. What he didn't expect when he was on both feet again was for the stone to erupt into a bright blue light. Shielding his eyes, Yami prepared to run as the mantis once again prepared to strike.

But it never came.

Puzzled, Yami opened his eyes to an amazing sight in front of him. A blonde-haired elf clad in armor had paused the mantis's attack right when it was about to rush downward. After a momentary struggle of power, the elf shoved the mantis's blades backward.

Yami blinked for a moment, still clueless. _Wait a minute…isn't that Celtic Guardian?_

Yugi, appearing next to Yami, nodded in agreement. _I'm not totally sure…but that's got to be him!_

The elf swiped its sword across the Mantis's midsection, slicing it cleanly in two and causing it to vanish into thin air. It then turned, facing Yami fiercely. Yami hesitated, gazing suspiciously at Celtic Guardian, but the elf softened his gaze, causing the spirit to calm. He then spoke directly to Yami's mind.

**For the duration of this game, I shall protect you, master.**

With that, Celtic Guardian knelt respectfully and vanished into an emerald light, forming a beam that shot directly for Yami. The spirit cried out, not knowing whether it was some sort of attack or anything similar, and backed away in recoil as the light shot into the strange device on his arm with immense force that nearly sent him into the ground. A strange burst of power overcame Yami, causing him to hesitate for a moment as the light filled his vision.

Moments later, the light stopped, and Yami stumbled forward slightly due to having fought the powerful beam of light. The device on his arm softly _click_ed open and a tiny capsule popped out, falling to the ground silently. Yami suspiciously walked over to it, picking it up in his hand and examining it. It was a tiny, bronze, capsule-like object, etched with a tiny picture of the elf that had stood before him just moments before. As he held it, a picture appeared in the back of his mind of the Celtic Guardian, standing ready for battle.

Yugi appeared next to his partner. _What is that?_ He asked.

Yami widened his eyes in surprise. _A Capsule,_ he answered. Yugi gazed at his partner, wide-eyed. Yami didn't even have to nod; he knew what Yugi was going to ask._ Yugi, I think we've entered a world of Capsule Monsters!_

**To be continued…**

* * *

Will Joey escape from the giant, evil bird? Will Tristan and Tea survive an encounter with new enemies? Can Yugi reunite with his friends? And just where the heck is Solomon, anyway?

Somehow, I managed to split episode one into three parts. Whew. At this rate this novelization is going to have what, 50 chapters or something? Nah, maybe that's an exaggeration…

Anywho, this novelization won't follow the series word for word, but it'll definitely follow it closely enough to remain true to the story.


	4. Divide and Conquer

I'd like to note that the lack of dialogue so far is mainly due to the fact that everyone (aside from Tea and Tristan) is basically alone. Thankfully, it won't be that way for too much longer. I'm also not splitting the events up so much because that would just seem awkward and I'd be using too many dividers.

Also, after watching a bit more Capsule Monsters, I noticed that Yami seems to be a bit more "athletic" than Yugi. He's really good at leaping out of the way and stuff. Also, I think it's a shame that when they made a game based on Capsule Monsters they didn't leave the adventuring elements in. That would've been cool running around as Yugi or Joey.

Also, the title for this chapter is named after the episode that it takes place in. I couldn't think of anything else.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Four: Divide and Conquer**

* * *

This place was highly dangerous, Yugi and Yami were undoubtedly certain of that. The forest was vast, and if Yugi wasn't mistaken, this world was about as big as the map was in the room in the pyramid. His friends could be anywhere, and the odds of being reunited were very slim. Yami was quick to notice Yugi's frustration, and allowed him to resume resting while Yami took control and walked about.

Of course, Yami's desperate cries to his friends – and anyone else that might have been nearby – were futile. He heard not a single reply. Yami hadn't taken a single step forward when he heard a growling noise nearby. Yami subconsciously slipped Celtic Guardian's capsule into his belt and stood warily, gazing about his surroundings. "Whoever you are," he growled, "I'll warn you now that I'm not alone…"

The attacker didn't seem too concerned. A large vine shot Yami's way, and he nimbly leapt back just as it would have struck him. He narrowed his eyes at the creature before him: a treant of some sort. Yami gritted his teeth as the monster lashed out again. It was at that moment that a flash of light caught his eye.

Glancing down at his armlet, Yami noted a significant difference: it was open. He grinned. _Of course. Now I know what this is for!_ Plucking the capsule from his belt, he loaded it into his armlet, where a green light shot out from the end, forming the figure of the Celtic Guardian that Yami and Yugi were both familiar with.

With his usual gusto, Yami cried out to the elf before him. "Let's uproot this beast!"

Celtic Guardian lunged forward, swinging its sword wildly and fending off countless vines. Yami stood at ready, dodging falling trees and keeping a close eye on how things were going, but not much time had passed before he knew things weren't going well.

Yugi appeared next to him, showing obvious concern. _What's going on? In the game, Celtic Guardian is a lot stronger than that treant!_

_I know,_ Yami replied. _But for some reason our attacks aren't even scratching it…_

The treant kept attacking, and Celtic Guardian resigned to a defensive, fending off the vines as Yami did his best to keep up. Yugi was still shocked at the developments, and remained next to Yami. _It might be just me, but it's like that tree has some sort of advantage…_

Yami's eyes widened. _That's it!_ He cried._ It's got an advantage from being in the forest!_

The treant sent out vines again, and the Celtic Guardian deftly defended itself from it. It spun around to defend itself from another, but was too late as it lashed him from behind, causing him to collapse to one knee.

At the same time, Yami screamed as a burst of pain erupted on his back. He fell into the same gesture as Celtic Guardian as he gasped for breath. Yugi stood next to him, eyes widened as he could only observe Yami shuddering in the aftermath. _Yami!_ He cried. _Are you alright?!_

_I'm not sure,_ Yami replied, weak from the shock he had received moments before. _Celtic Guardian was struck…but I was the one that felt it!_

_But how?_ Yugi asked.

Yami began to form his theory, but was swiftly interrupted when he noticed the entire forest shifting around them. Within moments they were surrounded by treants, and vines flew in from all sides. Celtic Guardian did his best to fend off the attacks, but he didn't last long when one of the vines grabbed his ankle and another began to tighten around his neck. Yami only caught a glimpse of what was going on when he felt the pain surging through his neck. Another treant lashed out, this time grabbing Yami's ankle. The duelist fell helplessly to the ground, searching for a way out. So far, however, there wasn't one.

* * *

Joey didn't have to have a memo to know he was in big trouble. The bird had carried him over a large ravine and then dropped him into a nest with what he supposed were its offspring. Joey, of course, did not stay long (he tried to speak with them, but a bite to the hand told him that it wasn't a good idea to stick around). He ended up falling off of the cliff when one of the birds lunged, and continued falling a good distance until he landed on a stray branch.

The blonde knew it wasn't exactly the best idea to stay on the branch, as it would soon snap and he'd end up falling anyway, but it was still a long way down below. When he looked near the cliff wall, he noticed a strange-looking object rustling ahead of him.

_Great,_ he thought sarcastically,_ A wobbly rock. Like that's going to help me out._

Joey didn't get any time to contemplate when the rock rolled right down the branch and smacked him on the head, causing him to slip off of the branch and continue falling. The rock, of course, followed him down, and Joey did the first thing that came to mind and clung to it.

What he didn't expect, of course, was a bright light to come from the stone as well as a strange, animal-esque cry.

Joey hardly had enough time to catch sight what was in front of him. He was still falling, and nothing was going to stop him at this point. He winced and closed his eyes, readying himself for impact, but just as suddenly he found himself soaring upward again. Opening his eyes, he noticed that he was sitting on the back of a small, orange creature…one that he recognized instantly.

"No way!" He cried. "Is that you, Baby Dragon?"

The dragon gave a small "rawr" in confirmation. Joey felt a huge smile on his face. "Whew," He said. "Well, I don't know where you came from, but you saved my life. Thanks!"

It was at that moment that Joey heard a strangely familiar cry from behind him. Turning to see what was behind him, he saw not just one…but a whole flock of the demonic birds from earlier. Sensing Joey's sudden fear, Baby Dragon flew away as quickly as he possibly could, with Joey clinging for dear life.

But the birds were gaining.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tristan and Tea were staring blankly at the two creatures behind them. One looked like a strange sphere with two pairs of wings attached to it, while the other resembled something similar to a "stubby mutant lizard," as Tristan put it. So far, however, the only thing that the two friends managed to figure out was the fact that they had come from the stones that they had nearly tripped over in their escape from the enormous bugs.

"So let me get this straight," Tea said, still skeptical. "You're telling me that whenever we touch any of those rocks, monsters show up?"

"That's right," Tristan said, nodding. "And they might look weird but I'm pretty sure they're friendly."

"I hope you're right," Tea responded, turning around to face the sea again. When she did, she paused. "Um…Tristan?"

"What's wrong?" The brown-haired young man asked. When he turned around, however, he noticed something out of place. Something was coming out of the water.

And it was _huge_.

Tea and Tristan ran for cover, but the farthest they got was the cliff wall. For a moment the tide was incredibly high, reachin gall the way to them, but it soon ebbed again. When Tea and Tristan looked back up, they noticed two things out of place: One was that an enormous, fish-like humanoid had erupted from the water, and was, not exactly thrilled to see them. The other matter on the agenda was that the lizard and angel were standing in front of them, looking ready for a fight.

Half-knowing that the creatures wouldn't give her an answer in English, Tea spoke her curiosities. "What's going on?"

"They're probably trying to protect us," Tristan pointed out. "But this doesn't look like it's going to be easy."

"I don't think we've got a choice either," Tea replied, glancing at the tunnel where they had come in from. "We can't go back through that tunnel, it's too steep."

Tristan nodded, stepping forward. "Then what are we waiting for?" He asked no one in particular. Putting on a game face, he smirked at his gigantic adversary. "Let's get him, little guy!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

Will Yami and Yugi survive the battle against the mutant forest? Will Joey be able to escape his pursuers? Can Tea and Tristan make it through their first battle?

More cliffhangers?! Yep. Definitely. I would have continued, but it's getting late and this chapter is already over a thousand words. Some people like long chapters, but other people are known to get intimidated by them and I don't want to scare people off.

My computer went crazy again, so don't mind if there's another lack of updates soon. Hopefully my documents will be able to survive. Also, my sister is coming over this Monday so I've gatta get to cleaning.

Those of you reading The Shadow Games should probably like to know that Chapter two has been edited and re-posted! I'm working on the other ten as I go.


	5. Rules and Revelations

Whew! This is a fun yet difficult chapter to write, mainly because Joey is pretty awesome with his Baby Dragon in that escape. Also, I left one of the movie's original jokes in. I know it's really corny/cheesy, but I thought I'd slip some humor into this.

Speaking of movies, I've also set to work starting up a novelization of something else. Of course, I'm going to get a few chapters of it done before actually releasing it, and I'm still going to be working on The Shadow Games as well as my other fics. For now, though, _geimu no jikan da!_

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Five: Rules and Revelations**

* * *

Joey knew he was running out of places to run. The birds behind him were gaining quickly. "We need a new plan," He said to Baby Dragon, whom gave a sound of agreement. As his mount beat his wings faster and faster, Joey looked for a way out of the dilemma…and found it below them.

"There!" He cried. "That ravine! Go down there!"

Baby Dragon wasted no time in diving down somewhat steeply toward the crevice that its rider had pointed out. It didn't do much to help them escape, but they threw off their pursuers momentarily. The twists and turns of the cavern were tight, and Joey clung tightly to his mount as the wind rushed past them. Natural bridges would have normally been obstructions to the chase, but this time they aided in throwing off a few of the birds.

It couldn't last long, however. Joey knew he had to get out quickly. A small hole appeared ahead, and he leaned forward as Baby Dragon turned its flight pattern sideways. Joey squeezed his eyes shut as the light ahead blinded him. The birds were drawing closer and closer, but at least this time there were fewer of them.

Moments later, Joey and his faithful companion had escaped the cavern, and the birds were stuck, crammed into a hole they couldn't fit through. The blonde sighed in relief. Now that he had escaped that plight, he had some other important matters on his agenda.

* * *

Yami knew he was in no position to be fighting back. The treants had not only surrounded him, they had also bound both him and Celtic Guardian to the ground. If he wanted to survive, he knew he would have to find a way out of this, and fast. Yugi had appeared and was gazing about wildly for an escape, and while he had not found a way out, he did find something else that would help. _Yami! Over there!_

It wasn't easy for the boy's partner to twist himself around and see what Yugi was referring to, but he managed to do it. What caught his attention was definitely worth it: a capsule stone was nearby. With all of his might, he stretched his arms and fingers in attempt to each the stone, but in vain. _I can't reach it!_ Yami cried to his partner just as the treants' vines tightened around Celtic Guardian's neck, causing him to choke.

_Well, we have to get there somehow!_ Yugi replied. _Can't you cut yourself free?_

Yami's eyes widened as an idea came to his head. _I can't_, he replied, _But Celtic Guardian __**can**__!_

He didn't even need to say a word. The elf, somehow reading the spirit's mind, drew back his arm and hurled his sword toward the vine entrapping Yami's leg. As it spun past, it sliced through the vine and Yami leapt forward, away from his entrapment. Without a second thought, he laid his hand on the capsule stone in front of him.

The familiar blue light shone forth and took form within moment as it had before, this time as a living sphere of flame. Yami smirked and turned around to face the treants, whom had abandon Celtic Guardian and begun backing away in fear.

_Hinotama Soul!_ Yugi cried as he saw the flaming wisp. _That's perfect!_

Yami nodded in agreement. In the game, plant-type monsters had always been weak to fire, and he was sure that this situation it was no different. With a look of smug triumph on his face, Yami issued a single order to his newest comrade: "Attack!"

The wisp gladly did as told, soaring through the air and slamming into each of the treants. The mutant trees instantly lit aflame as they were struck, and let out long and agonizing cries as they burnt to cinders, no longer a threat to Yami.

After recalling his monsters, Yami relinquished control to Yugi, whom carefully examined the wreckage before him. After a moment, he let out a relieved sigh. He was safe for the time being, but his concerns were still high; his friends were still separated from him, as well as his grandfather. _I hope everyone's okay,_ he thought. _Though I'm pretty sure they realize by now that we're not in India anymore…_

* * *

"This field guide to India is _useless_!" Joey cried as he stared at the book in front of him. He and Baby Dragon were sitting in a cavern behind a waterfall for temporary shelter. Joey was, as usual, not entirely sure where he was, and had decided to find his friends once he found his way around.

"I'm officially lost," he exclaimed, suddenly looking hopeless. "Some vacation this turned out to be…"

Joey stood, turning to leave, but paused as something caught his eye. On top of a flat stone was a small crimson treasure chest, trimmed with gold with a line of hieroglyphics along the front of it. Grinning suddenly, Joey threw a triumphant fist into the air. "Awright, I'm rich! This is the best vacation _ever_!"

Baby Dragon stared at the blonde as though he had gone crazy and gave a confused growl. Joey, however, put his hand over the dragon's shoulder and grinned. "Don't worry. We'll split anything that's in there between us, alright?" With that, he stepped forward and prepared to open the chest when it suddenly lifted open on its own, causing a great light to flood the small cavern.

Joey grinned in excitement and anticipation, but his thoughts were betrayed as he saw not gold in the chest, but an enormous scroll that had begun to float upward into the air. Within moments, the paper flew forward and wrapped around Joey, binding him to the spot. "Not good!" He cried, turning partially to send a cry to his companion. "Baby Dragon, can't you do anything?"

Baby Dragon inhaled deeply. Joey blinked, not taking long to find out what his friend was planning. "Wait, no! Not tha-!"

But it was too late. A burst of flame erupted from Baby Dragon's mouth and engulfed an unfortunate Joey Wheeler, whom promptly ran at top speed for the nearby waterfall as soon as the inferno had ceased. In place of the treacherous scroll appeared a much smaller piece of parchment, wrapped carefully in a small string. Once the blonde-haired boy had cooled off (he was now thoroughly soaked, but at this point he really didn't mind), he walked back into the small cavern, noting the small parchment and picking it up. He might have had no idea where he was, but he was definitely sure that whatever this paper had written on it was going to help.

* * *

Tristan didn't know what the giant mer-beast was called, but he didn't need its name to issue an attack from his newly-found friend (whom he soon found out was named Thunder Kid). Another strike of lightning ripped through the air toward the beast, only to be blocked by another wall of water. Once the shock wave had ceased, a hole appeared in the water and the beast threw its own attack at its assailant. A sphere of water flew through the air and slammed into Thunder Kid, whom was sent careening into the wall behind him.

To both of the humans' surprise, Tristan instantly was sent reeling into a world of pain when Thunder Kid was hit, and he fell to the ground clutching his ribs as a groan of pain escaped through his teeth. Tea raced over toward him instantly. "Tristan! What's going on?!"

The boy slowly was able to open his eyes again. "I don't know," he responded. "Suddenly I felt this huge shock of pain from out of nowhere…"

The beast shot another sphere of water that slammed into Thunder Kid, sending Tristan into a world of pain as he collapsed to the ground. Another attack was sent their way, and the boy could only wince as he was unable to move.

Determined to help, Tea stood up confidently and turned to her own friend, Happy Lover, only to find it cowering behind a rock. Before she could ask it anything, it looked at her and shook its head. It became clear: it couldn't fight this thing, but there had to be some way to help.

Tristan, meanwhile, still couldn't move. "If I had paid attention to Yugi during his games," he said, speaking his thoughts, "I probably could come up with some way to beat this guy…"

Tea's eyes widened. Quickly thinking, she began to recall the moment before the trip when she was playing the game with Yugi.

"_This game is really similar to Duel Monsters if you think about it," Yugi said. "It's much easier to win if you have different monsters with different abilities."_

_Tea nodded. "Another game full of strategy?" she asked in a somewhat joking manner. "So, what about this monster I've got here?"_

_Yugi smiled, eager to tell his friend more about the rules. "Well, that one is called Happy Lover. It may have low attack and defense, but its ability makes up for it. If there's another monster on the field that's been injured, that one can heal it."_

Tea again faced her friend, determination once again filling her expression. "Alright," she began, catching the small angel's attention. "You've got something that can help us, so let's put it to use!"

Happy Lover seemed exceedingly pleased by the prospect. Nodding in agreement, Tea turned back toward her other friend. "Help is on the way, Tristan!"

Tristan was still reeling in pain, and only managed to glance back with his eyes. "You sure about that?" he asked hoarsely, hardly able to imagine getting over the injuries he was sustaining.

It happened quickly. A bright ray of light surrounded Thunder Kid, and he pushed himself off the ground, once again ready for a fight. "That help any, Tristan?"

After glancing back at Tristan, Tea realized she really didn't need to answer. Apparently he was feeling the effects of the boost himself, and had begun dancing like a maniac. The brunette rolled her eyes. "Earth to Tristan!" She cried. "We've still got fish-face to deal with, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Tristan responded, turning toward his adversary once again. "Alright, let's go!" As Thunder Kid readied another strike, however, Tristan paused. _Last time we took him head-on, he blocked it. This time we'll have to use a different strategy…_

As the brown-haired young man came up with a strategy, the monster had begun rapid-firing blasts of water toward them. Tea and Happy Lover were sent on the run to hide behind a nearby rock while Thunder Kid and Tristan ran right into the fray. One of the blasts of water slammed into Thunder Kid once again, but this time Tristan was prepared for the pain on his end. Leaping forth, he tackled his reptilian friend football style, sending him soaring into the air and directly into the sun. The marine monster looked up to find the lizard, only to be blinded by the sunlight. "Now!" Tristan cried.

A burst of thunder slammed into the beast, stunning it and causing the water to shoot out around it momentarily. Thunder Kid bounced off of the monster and toward the shore, where Tristan caught him.

Tea had to suppress the urge to applaud them. "Nice work, you two!"

Tristan grinned. "We couldn't have done it without your help, though, Tea!"

Unfortunately, they had spoken too soon. A light began to shine from the beast, and though it was a familiar golden color, they knew it was not a good one. The shell on the beast was slowly cracking, and within moments it had shattered off. It grew, bearing more fins than before as well as sharper fangs.

"I don't like the looks of this," Tea said, beginning to back off. "If we had a hard time beating the first one, how are we going to beat this one?!"

"The same way we did last time!" Tristan announced confidently. However, when he looked over to where Thunder Kid was, he noticed a fresh set of tracks that led directly to a nearby rock…where he found both Thunder Kid and Happy Lover cowering. They might have shared pain from the battle, but they apparently didn't share confidence.

Before either of them could come up with a plan, the beast roared, forming a tornado of water. Both human and monster alike were swept into it, screaming in terror. There was no escaping this time. This was definitely the end.

Just then, storm clouds formed over the beast, causing it to look upward in surprise. A loud cry reached everyone's ears.

"Summoned Skull! Lightning Strike!"

A blue thunder crashed down from the storm clouds, obliterating the beast and releasing Tristan and Tea from the tornado. As they looked up to the cliff nearby, they saw a familiar person standing on the edge.

**To be contined…**

* * *

I'll give you all two guesses who that stranger is.

That part where Tea gives Tristan the power boost as well as the last bit was incredibly difficult to write. I sure hope it came out well.

Also, have you ever noticed that when you're writing, you tend to use words that sound right for a situation, but you don't exactly know the meaning of the word according to dictionary? It's kind of weird to have a definition for a word as a sort of feeling or image in your mind instead of something written out.

Anywho…Chapter 3 of _The Shadow Games_ has been revised and posted. Next revision as well as the next chapter of this coming soon!


	6. Reunited

Let me tell you guys, explaining sessions are HARD to write out and/or novelize. I feel like I ended up copying the script, so I edited this thing several times before the "final cut," and I'm still not particularly proud of this one. I'm feeling somewhat encouraged, though; most of you seem to think I'm doing great.

Also, am I the only one that finds it odd that even when Yami has control people still refer to him as Yugi? It makes sense, but it's still odd.

Now then, _geimu no jikan da!_

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Six: Reunited**

* * *

Yugi wasted no time in racing down the beach, his hands clenched into fists as he tore down the path. Yami appeared next to him, his gaze locked forward. _Yugi, did you see what I saw?_

_You mean that huge lightning bolt?_ Yugi replied. _Yeah, I did! We've got to hurry!_

Yami nodded in agreement. _I hope everyone is alright._

When Yugi reached the edge of the path, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Tea and Tristan lying on the ground, unconscious. As he neared them, he noticed that they didn't seem to be in pain, but they certainly seemed tired. Hoping that they could hear them, Yugi knelt by them and tried calling their names.

"I wouldn't worry. They just need a bit of rest."

Yugi knew that voice anywhere. As he looked up from his friends, he noticed a very, very familiar face standing in front of him. The man waved, smiling brightly. "Hey there. Know where I can find a headband?"

Yugi wasted no time in leaping onto the man and hugging him. "Grandpa! You're safe!"

It didn't take long for Tristan and Tea to wake up. Once they did, they headed for a clearing in the forest, away from the beach and its sea monsters. After setting up a campfire, the four sat down. It turned out that Solomon had entered the pyramid the same way that the other kids did, and though his story was slightly different (Solomon had tried to touch the map with his hand instead of stepping on it), the outcome was the same. "At least we're all together again," the old man said, his arms crossed along with his usual grin.

But Yugi shook his head, glancing in one direction. "Not really," he said. "Joey got separated from us when we came here. Hopefully he's alright."

* * *

Joey had been flying on the back of his friend Baby Dragon for a while, and he was starting to get hungry. He didn't know where he was, and thus didn't trust any of the plants that were growing nearby. It wasn't long before he spotted something in the distance.

"Check it out!" He called to Baby Dragon, pointing at a rising column of smoke not far off. "There must be a campfire over there. Let's go check it out." With that, Baby Dragon began spiraling downward. As they got closer, Joey recognized several familiar faces. "What do you know," He thought aloud. "Looks like they made it after all." As Joey leaned over to call out to his friends, however, he quickly lost balance and began to fall straight toward the ground. Baby Dragon, realizing the danger its master was facing, dove after him.

* * *

Yugi hung his head in worry. "This place is huge," he said in dismay. "Joey could be anywhere."

"I wouldn't worry," Tristan responded. "Joey may be a knucklehead, but he can definitely take care of himself."

"Tristan's right," Tea said. "He's probably just fine. Maybe he's out looking for us right now."

Though Tea had meant to comfort Yugi, the last thing she expected was for her words to come to reality. Moments after she finished, a familiar figure dropped right in front of her, held in the air by an also-familiar dragon. Everyone stared in disbelief as Joey Wheeler waved cheerfully at his friends.

"Sorry about that," he said, smiling sheepishly. "Hope I'm not late for dinner."

"Trust a man to think with his stomach," Tea grumbled as a chuckling Solomon handed the boy two loaves of bread.

"At any rate," Tristan said, "Now that we're all together again, shouldn't we start looking for a way out of this place?"

"I don't think it'll be quite that simple."

All heads turned to Yugi – or rather, Yugi's other persona – in curiosity. Yami stared sternly at the campfire, probably trying to keep his gaze away from his friends for some reason. "We don't know our way around here, so there's no telling how close or how far we are from the exit." After glancing up briefly, the spirit continued. "Also, we seem to have become a part of some real-life version of the Capsule Monsters board game, and the only way out may be to win."

It was at that moment that Joey reached for his backpack. "Hang on, guys. I found something that might help us out." He opened it and reached inside, pulling out an old parchment. "I think it's some sort of map."

Everyone leaned forward to study Joey's discovery. "It looks a lot like the one that was in the pyramid," Tristan pointed out. "But what's the deal with that house thing in the middle?"

Tea, however, wasn't paying much attention to the map. Her eyes were on the scenery nearby instead. "Guys, don't you notice something weird going on?"

"Like what?" Joey asked.

"Those flowers," Tea began. "I think they moved closer…and we seem to be surrounded by them."

Yami stood at ready. "I don't like the looks of this," he said, picking up one of the sticks of the campfire, "but I don't think we should press our luck, either." With a powerful swing, he sent the stick soaring through the air and into the middle of the flower bed. Much to everyone's surprise, the flowers dodged the flames, and the flames themselves revealed the flowers to actually be wolves.

His suspicions confirmed, Yami plucked a capsule out of his belt. "Looks like we aren't getting out of here without a fight," he told is friends, "So we might as well fight back." Tristan and Joey followed Yami's example, and before long they had fired their own capsules. Celtic Guardian, Thunder Kid and Baby Dragon appeared within moments, ready to fight at any given command.

Yami quickly noticed, however, that they were short two people. "Grandpa," Yami called, "Do you have any monsters?"

Solomon shook his head, picking up a flaming stick from the campfire. "I have Summoned Skull, but he's still recovering from the last time I used him."

"What about you, Tea?"

Tea also replied negatively. "None that can attack, no."

Hearing that, Yami knew this would be difficult, but he also knew that they had no other choice, and began to order an attack. Before Yami had a chance to actually vocalize it, however, Celtic Guardian was already swinging his sword left and right. Baby Dragon was smashing wolves with its tail as well as setting them aflame with its fiery breath. Thunder Kid sent shockwaves into dozens of the wolves, rendering them helpless.

Even as the group attacked, however, they quickly found themselves outnumbered. Baby Dragon ended up being bitten on his side, and Thunder Kid was slashed from behind. Both Joey and Tristan stumbled, but before Yami could send them help, Celtic Guardian was also attacked, and this time Yami fell completely to the ground. Solomon was left waving his stick at the wolves, but it was not long before he was attacked as well. Taking cue, Yami leapt up and grabbed another stick, threatening the wolves off of the old man.

"There's no way we can take this many on our own," Tea pointed out as more and more wolves closed in. "We've got to get out of here!"

Yami's eyes lit up with an idea. If an escape was their only option, he knew just how to do it. "Celtic Guardian! Throw your sword!"

The elf did as told. With a quick shout at Tristan for help, Thunder Kid struck the sword with a bolt of lightning. The light generated was as brighter than daylight, and the wolves all winced as they were blinded.

Leaving most of their belongings behind, everyone fled.

**To be contined…**

* * *

Short chapter, I know, but this just seemed like a lovely place to pause!

Chapter 4 of The Shadow Games has been re-posted for those of you interested. Also, new story in the works. Keep an eye out!


	7. Frost and Flame

No, I didn't die on you all. XD I got busy for a while (sister visiting and all) and noticed I was going too fast again, so I took a quick break and played FFXI for a while. That aside, I really enjoy writing the Capsule Monsters story. I will still be updating _Galactic Quest_ and _The Shadow Games_ when I get the chance/time/inspiration/craziness, so keep an eye out there, too.

Also, for future reference, I would like to note that for some reason Yami not only has a more "sophisticated" speech pattern, but he's a lot more athletic than Yugi. You'll notice in the first episode of Capsule Monsters when the mantis nearly hits Yugi, there's a swap and Yami leaps out of the way. I guess a millennia-old pharaoh has to keep in shape. Makes me wonder what he does in that Millennium Puzzle all the time…work out, maybe?

Now then, _geimu no jikan da!_

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Seven: Frost and Flame**

* * *

The group had just barely escaped with their lives. Tristan and Joey were quick to lighten the mood with a sort of victory dance the next morning, which resulted mainly in their empty stomachs growling. Tea was trying to take things seriously and was thus somewhat annoyed by her friends' antics, but Solomon just chuckled. Yugi silently grinned at Joey and Tristan for a moment before Yami appeared next to him with a more serious look on his face. Yugi wasted no time in asking his friend what was wrong, and Yami replied promptly.

_I'm not sure if our friends quite know the danger they've got themselves into yet,_ the spirit said. _They each have a Capsule Monster now, and whenever their monster is attacked, they feel the pain._

_You've got a point, _Yugi replied.

Yami nodded in agreement. _We'll need to win this game before anyone gets hurt…or killed._

At that moment, the land began to rumble dangerously. Yugi turned to find the source, but the sound stopped as soon as he did, leaving the area peaceful just like before. "Did anyone hear that?" He asked, assuming a cautious stance.

"Hear what?" Tristan asked.

"That sound," Yugi explained, a bit quieter than he intended. "It sounded like an earthquake…"

The rumbling arose again, this time louder. The ground trembled, causing everyone to tumble onto their backsides as they lost their footing. Needless to say, the sound did not go unheard this time. Joey, however, found something else to look at. "Guys, look over there!"

They did. The mountains were shifting in the distance, as though someone were pushing them to the side. Yugi immediately knew what was going on. "Those mountains aren't moving…_we_ are!"

Curious to see what was causing it, everyone quickly raced down the path, and nearly fell off at the edge where the land stopped. Before them was a large lake. The peace didn't last long, however, as the water surged upward.

"Guys," Yugi said somewhat calmly, "This isn't an island; it's an island turtle." The shock came quickly to everyone (except for Solomon), and Yugi hastened to clear up the misunderstanding. "Don't worry, they're peaceful."

"That's a relief," Tea said, wiping a bit of sweat off of her forehead. "After that pack of wolves, I'd rather not have an upset like that."

"Hey," Joey said suddenly, "This qualifies as a victory!"

Yugi lifted an eyebrow curiously. "How do you figure?" He asked. Of course, Tristan and Joey had completely ignored him and begun their now-traditional victory dance, much to Yugi and Tea's slight annoyance. Solomon just shook his head while grinning. Yami, on the other hand, was at least amused, which unfortunately didn't help Yugi very much.

_Oh, quit laughing, it's not __**that**__ funny._

_At least they're having a good time. This way we won't end up overdoing ourselves at a critical moment._

_You've got a point there._

Unfortunately for them, the turtle must have decided that it was time for a bath and started sinking. Coming to a quick decision, everyone leapt off of the island before it sank completely and swam toward the nearby shore. They were still wading through the water when they came upon a large temple of sorts. Four spires rose into the sky behind it (aside from one, which had been damaged and the top was missing), and the doors remained closed in the front. As they approached, however, the doors opened.

Tea hesitated a moment, but still followed the group. "We're not going in there, are we? It seems pretty dark."

_I sense something suspicious in there,_ Yami whispered to his partner. _Do you mind, Yugi?_

_Go ahead._

Yugi relinquished control to Yami, whom confidently stepped forward. "We have to," He replied. "If we really have become part of some sort of game, we'll have to play along if we expect to get out."

The group cautiously entered the temple. The room was larger than they could have guessed from where they had stood outside, and the air had a strange, burnt smell. The room itself was made entirely of stone with the only light shining down on a strange object stood up on four legs…

Joey, as unnerved as everyone else was with the room, simply scratched his head at the said object. "What's with the teapot?" he asked.

Yami knew better than to jump to conclusions. He recognized the object right away, and accordingly focused all of his senses on it to find out what it was. It looked like a teapot, but something simply wasn't right. Some aura around it strongly suggested otherwise. "That's no teapot," he replied quietly.

As though on cue, a green smoke swirled out of the end of the object. It wasn't hard for anyone to recognize it – even Tea knew who it was – as La Jinn, a powerful genie. No one had to speak to know they didn't stand a chance against it. Yami also knew this, but he knew there was no running from the fight. "Leave him to me," He said. "I'll do this alone."

_Are you sure?_ Yugi asked, appearing next to his friend.

_Somehow I get the feeling that this is my fault,_ Yami replied. _I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me._

_But it's **not** your fault!_ Yugi protested.

Yami took Yugi's words to heart, but he wasn't about to give up. He swiftly loaded Celtic Guardian's capsule into his armlet and fired, immediately ordering an attack. It didn't take long for the battle to ensue, with Celtic Guardian on the losing path. For a moment Yami felt confident, but La Jinn deftly caught the elf's sword in his hands and threw him to the ground, causing the spirit to stagger from the pain.

Joey and Tristan were quick to race to their friend's side. "Yugi, are you alright?" Joey cried. "Let us help!"

"No!" Yami shouted, standing immediately in hopes of calming his friends' worries. "Stay back!"

"But Yugi-"

"I said **_no_**!"

The protest took long enough for La Jinn to attack Yami directly. Yami was barely able to jump out of the way before he was crushed under the genie's fist, but things only got worse when the door burst open and a wave of water entered the temple. The boys flinched and expected to become drowned when the wave froze over completely. For a moment they felt relief, but a certain sight made them pause indefinitely.

Tea and Solomon were in the way of the water, and now they had become frozen as well.

Before anyone could react, a white-tinted demon rose from the ice, floating menacingly in the air. Yami instantly recognized it as Aqua Madoor, and was able to dodge various shards of ice that were sent to attack him and his friends. "Go!" he cried. "I can handle them!"

"I doubt that," Tristan muttered. "What makes you think we're going to leave?"

Yami partially ignored Tristan's question. "I refuse to let anyone else get hurt."

At that statement, Joey had to strongly resist the urge to roll his eyes. "This is getting old," he said. "You might not want us to get hurt, but don't think for a moment we want to see you getting hurt!"

The spirit scowled for a moment, though not in anger. His worry was rising swiftly, and it didn't help when Baby Dragon and Thunder Kid appeared to attack the Madoor. "We'll take care of this one," Tristan called over his shoulder. "Go get the Hulk's evil twin!"

After a quick and silent thank-you, the battle resumed. Shards of ice flew from one direction and the genie on the other side of the fray was bursting streams of flame toward Celtic Guardian. It was either the frying pan or the freezer, and there was no option to escape this fight.

Yami spared the briefest of glances to Tea and Solomon, whom were still frozen. There wasn't much time for him to rescue them. Joey, of course, found enough time to make a complaint in between attacking and dodging. "Geez, ice in the front and fire in the rear. There's nowhere safe to run!"

_Fire and ice!_ Yami exclaimed. _Why didn't I think about that before?!_

_Don't even __**think**__ about doing this alone, Yami!_ Yugi cried, interrupting his friend's train of thought. _We've got to do this as a team!_

Yami winced; he had completely forgotten that Yugi could hear him when he spoke like that. _But it's-_

_Trust me, Yami! I **know** this will work!_

Yami smiled mentally, seeing Yugi's point. He then spun around, this time to address his friends. He knew there was little time, so he made it as short as possible. "Joey! Tristan! Each of these monsters' attacks is the others' weakness!"

"Say no more!" Joey called back, nodding to Tristan. Though Yami hadn't even explained a plan, they knew precisely what to do.

Attacks were initiated immediately, and both La Jinn and Aqua Madoor fired their own. At a single command, the elf, dragon and lizard swiftly dodged to the side, causing the two offenders to hit each other instead. In a burst of bright light, the monsters faded into nothing. Along with them, the ice also vanished. Tea and Solomon collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Yami sank back to let Yugi gain control once more, and he and the other two raced for their friends. They smiled back, seemingly okay, but before greetings could be exchanged, a pillar rose from the temple ground behind them. Everyone turned, startled, to see a great many lines of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

_It's probably part of this game,_ Yami said, acting surprisingly calm.

Yugi had to agree. "Grandpa, can you read what that says?"

Solomon stepped forward without another word. "Let's see what we've got here…"

_Before the shadows blanket the land_

_Go to the fortress of fear_

_Locate the place where the spirit sleeps_

_And the pathway you seek will appear._

"Before the shadows blanket the land," Yugi echoed. "I bet it's referring to sunset."

Tea nodded. "And the place where the spirit sleeps must be some kind of grave or something."

Joey glanced up at his only female friend. "Never knew you had that in you, Tea," he said, grinning.

The brunette shrugged. "We studied plenty of literature in school, and there was a poem that referred to the same thing. If you had paid attention in class…"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Joey replied, wincing and hoping to avoid Tea's lecture on the importance of a good education.

"What about the fortress of fear?" Solomon said.

Joey promptly pulled out his map, pointing to the house-like building in the center. "Maybe that's it," he said. "But it doesn't look too terribly close to here."

"However far it is," Yugi replied, somewhat determined, "If the 'pathway we seek' is the one that leads home, then we'd better hurry!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

I know some of you liked that food joke, but it had to be cut. Some of the "jokes" and weirdly-timed lines will probably stay in, however in varied forms. In the series this is usually how the solution is found, but I'll make something more creative when I can, which will hopefully be often.

Also, how the heck does Joey find time to complain during a fight? He's like a professional at that. Must be from living in Brooklyn to get that accent of his.

As for Tea knowing about the riddle, it seemed out of place for her to just randomly come up with it in the movie, so I put a reason for it in there.

Another thing I should probably mention is when Yami and Yugi are talking to each other. The scenery kind of darkens while those two remain the same color and light. In my own personal theory, they're not really talking aloud; they think to each other, and no one else can see the spirit, whichever one it would be. This will definitely end up being a problem later on in a certain episode, but I'll make it work. You'll be surprised how.


	8. Skeletons and Statues

Whew…it's been a while. I have quite a few fics on my update list, and this is one of them. Now then, _geimu no jikan da!_ On with part 8!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Eight: Skeletons and Statues**

* * *

Joey wasted absolutely no time in pointing out the convenience of the river being between them and the Fortress of Fear. At some point Solomon suggested swimming across, but not only had the group had enough of water, Tea fervently insisted that there might be monsters lurking underwater (which came to no surprise, considering what she had gone through before they were reunited) and it was decided that swimming was a no-go.

"I've searched everywhere," Yuugi said, "And there's nothing we could use as a boat."

"Is Tristan still looking?" Tea asked.

"Not anymore," Came the reply. The boy came jogging out of the temple. "I think I found something. Come take a look."

Everyone followed him back inside the temple where he showed them a hidden staircase leading below. "It might lead under the river," he explained promptly.

"What if it doesn't?" Tea asked. "Then we'll just be wasting our time."

Yugi, however, shook his head. "We don't really have much of a choice. If we're going to get to that Fortress of Fear that's mentioned in the riddle, we'll have to take the risk." With that, Yugi stepped inside. Everyone else followed suit.

The tunnel wasn't as long as one would have anticipated, but it was definitely damp. Once at the end, Joey pushed open a door above them and climbed out, helping everyone onto the ground above. Once they were back in the sunlight, the area became clear: there were several Stonehenge-esque archways around them, and everywhere else were various piles of stones.

There was a rustling in the bushes, causing the group to freeze on the spot (aside from Joey, but it didn't last long). Yugi was the first to notice. "Am I the only one that heard that?"

"The bushes?" Tristan asked. "I heard it too."

Solomon wasn't the type to look serious, but when he had to he would. "Be cautious," he said quietly. "Whatever's out there probably isn't friendly."

Yugi felt a mental prod at his mind. _Something doesn't feel right,_ he felt Yami mutter. _Yugi, it might be a good idea if…_

He didn't need to ask; Yugi knew right away what was going on. _Got it. Be careful._ He sunk away and allowed Yami to take control. The spirit stood its ground. "Stay close and follow my lead. I have a bad feeling about this."

It was as though his words had spurned it to happen. Once Yami had spoken, hoards of undead skeletons rose from the ground as wisps before quickly becoming solid. The group didn't need to look at each other for assurance; they knew what to do. In a flash, Celtic Guardian, Baby Dragon, Thunder Kid and Happy Lover had all appeared.

The fight ensued quickly. Celtic Guardian sliced through the adversaries with expertise swordsmanship while Baby Dragon set them aflame. Thunder Kid hurled shockwaves at the zombies, quickly getting rid of them, but unfortunately Tea's own monster, Happy Lover, could only fly around and avoid the attacks. Solomon groaned as he stared at a silver capsule in his hand. He still couldn't use his only monster.

"There's too many," Joey cried. "We've gatta get out of here!"

"Sounds like a plan," Tristan replied, "But we're surrounded!"

"Not again," The blonde replied, shoving his face into his palm mentally. "Got a plan, Yugi?"

"Not yet," Yami replied. "For now we just need to survive long enough until I can come up with one!"

Joey nodded, looking around quickly for an idea. It didn't take him long to find one; his gaze was quickly turned toward a familiar egg-shaped rock. Racing toward it, he pressed his hand to it, releasing a beam of light that formed into…

"No way!" He cried. "It's Flame Swordsman!"

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was having their own problems. An arm had risen from the ground and grabbed onto Tea's ankle, immobilizing her. Yami quickly took notice of his endangered friend and raced forward, pulling her out of harm's way just as another zombie ran toward them. As they slid to a stop, they made contact with even more capsule stones. The bright light blinded them momentarily before two familiar creatures appeared before them: The humanoid angel known as Dark Witch and, of course, the little furry Kuriboh.

The battlefield quickly became a blazing inferno as the Flame Swordsman sliced through countless undead. Dark Witch aided as well, blinding more of them with a powerful light. Before long, the opposition was completely gone.

Yami relinquished control to Yugi, whom didn't give time for a victory cry. The group raced through an archway and up an enormous staircase, all the while eyeing the setting sun nearby. There wasn't much time left.

At the top of the hill, they saw a great temple. While everyone was still trying to regain energy, Yugi looked carefully over the temple. "This has to be it," he said. "Now all we have to do is…"

He was cut short by a great stone wall rising from the ground to block all four sides of the temple. On the front of the walls was an ornate square design, each corner decorated with another smaller square. Yugi rubbed his head. "Now all we have to do is get past this wall," he said in dismay.

The group quickly set to work. There were no cracks in the wall, but there were plenty of creepy statues on each corner. Joey attempted to fly over at one point, but only succeeded in hitting an invisible force field. Solomon even tried to blast through it (his only monster happened to be Summoned Skull, which surprised everyone), but that didn't work either. It wasn't until Yugi took a very close look that he noticed something off. "Is it just me," he began slowly, "Or is one of the four corners lit up on that square?"

Everyone looked. "You're right!" Tea exclaimed. "It _is_ lit up!"

As soon as she said it, however, it faded. "Okay, not anymore," Yugi said, not losing much hope, "But I know you saw it!"

"So the corner turned shiny," Joey said, a bit irritated. "What's it mean?"

"Look at the big statue over there," Yugi said, pointing in one direction. "See how its arms are crossed?" Everyone nodded, and Yugi turned back to them. "Grandpa, weren't you crossing your arms a moment before?"

Solomon nodded. "You mean like this?" He repeated his posture. Sure enough, the corner lit up again.

"Now I get it!" Tea cried. "We just pose like those other statues, right?"

Yugi nodded. "That's precisely what I mean!" He said. "The only thing left is who will be going in…"

"You're the one figuring out all the riddles," Tristan pointed out. "You should go."

"I agree," Joey added. "Besides, you're the only other person who can read all that Egyptian stuff."

Yugi couldn't deny Joey was right, though it wasn't exactly he who was reading it. Even so, Tristan held a point as well. "It shouldn't take too long," He said, "So I guess I'll go…"

It was decided. The other three proceeded to the other statues and mimicked their poses. Tea did not hesitate to mutter how she felt like an idiot, given she ended up in front of the statue of the pouncing demon. The four corners quickly lit up, and Yugi called out to his friends. "I'm going in!" He shouted. "Be careful!" With that, he ran forward into the fortress.

**To be continued…**

* * *

This chapter would have been shorter, but it was only 700-ish words at that point so I kept going.

Chapter 05 to chapter 08 of _The Shadow Games_ have been edited and re-posted. I also have a new fanfic up called _Shadow_ which is, amazingly, not a novelization. **Whoa**.


	9. The Fortress of Fear

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Nine: The Fortress of Fear**

* * *

Yugi charged full-speed into the Fortress of Fear. Once he found the pathway mentioned in the riddle, they could all go home, he was sure of it. When he entered, however, he had an odd feeling that everything was too easy. The room was completely empty, much like the one in the Temple of Fire and Ice, but in front of him was an old casket. Yugi paused for a moment. _That was way easy,_ He thought. _The place where the spirit sleeps…definitely a casket like Tea thought. But getting in here was just too simple._

Deciding to question it later, Yugi ran forward again, only to have the ground vanish beneath him. As he fell, he let out a cry of terror as the ground rushed up for him. Before he could react, something jerked him into the corner of his own mind and he felt himself land nimbly on the ground without a scratch. After blinking a few times, Yugi realized that Yami had taken control and gotten them safely on the ground. He cast a glance to his friend.

_Sorry about that,_ Yami said, knowing what was going through Yugi's mind, _But I didn't want you getting hurt._

_I know,_ Yugi replied, smiling for a moment. _But where are we now? Looks like we fell into another trap._

_Whoever made this game was pretty keen on putting plenty of them in here,_ Yami commented. _There were traps in the pyramid in our world, too, remember?_

Yugi nodded. _Yeah, and there are plenty of traps here as well._

_What we need to focus on right now is getting out of here before time runs out, _Yami said determinedly._ I don't want to think about what'll happen if we're still here when the sun sets…_

He wouldn't have to. The walls of the pit quickly began to close in on him. Yami glanced back and forth frantically. "Yugi," he said aloud, not bothering to focus his thoughts for a mind-link, "If you've got any ideas, now is the time to speak up!"

_Remember,_ Yugi said, _This is a game. There's __**always**__ a solution!_

Yami nodded in agreement, but he couldn't help the foreboding feeling he had. If they didn't get out of this pit in time, they would be crushed!

* * *

Outside, Joey had completely cramped from holding a pose for too long and fell flat on his rear. Tristan, Tea and Solomon dropped their own poses and sighed in half-relief and half-exhaustion. As the four were about to relax, however, a loud _thud_ caught their ears as the door to the temple shut. At the same time, the eyes on the statues began to glow ominously.

"Run!" Tristan cried, and they did. Unfortunately, they found themselves blocked before any other reaction could be made.

"I don't like the looks of this," Joey said, a serious look in his eyes. "I say we fight!"

"Agreed!" Solomon replied. In a few quick beams of light, Flame Swordsman, Dark Witch, Thunder Kid and Summoned Skull appeared before them, ready to fight back against any menace that came their way.

* * *

Yami knew he was in trouble. The walls of the pit were quickly closing in on them, and there was no way out unless he was somehow able to jump more than twenty feet.

_Yami, take a look at your belt!_

Upon hearing Yugi's words, the spirit cast his glance to the capsules on his belt. One of them was pulsing wildly, and he thought he heard a small _Kuri-kuri_ coming from one of them. (1) Upon taking it out, the image of Kuriboh flashed in the back of his mind, confirming his thoughts. After quickly loading and firing the capsule, Kuriboh appeared and began flying desperately about, giving off desperate cries of "Kuri! Kuri!" as he circled above. "What's he trying to tell us?" Yami asked aloud.

Yugi quickly figured it out. _Look! There's a capsule up there!_

Yami gave a swift look to Kuriboh, whom happily bounced behind him in confirmation. Backing up, Yami quickly made note of the capsule's location. It wasn't too far up, but it would definitely be hard to reach. Making a sprint, Yami leapt into the air, reaching for the capsule desperately, but was only able to grasp the edge of the pit. The walls were getting closer to him; there wasn't much time left. "Kuriboh!" He called. "I can't reach the capsule! I need…!" Yami paused when he noticed his fingers were slipping. This couldn't be the end…he had come too far! He could only hope that Kuriboh understood him.

As though sensing its master's distress, Kuriboh charged upward, shoving Yami out of the hole and into the air. The spirit flew forward, his hand making contact with the capsule as it emitted a strong burst of green light…

For a moment, Yami couldn't see a thing. As he opened his eyes, he noticed that something was holding him in midair. Pulling his gaze up, he instantly saw who it was. Violet armor, a long, jade staff…and a very familiar face. "…Dark Magician?"

_Yami! The sun is setting!_

Pulled from his daze, the spirit turned his sight to the horizon. Yugi was right, the sun was about to vanish completely. _We need to open that tomb __**now**__!_

_But everyone else is in trouble! Look!_

He did. Sure enough, the statues had come to life and were attacking his friends. They had to open the way home, but they couldn't abandon everyone else! Yami thought quickly, coming up with a plan as soon as he could. _I hope this works… _"Dark Magician! Magical Crossroads!"

The instant the words were spoken, the four monsters each surrounded with a glittering crimson force field. A giant X formed between them, eradicating the statues.

Below, Solomon ordered Summoned Skull to finish off the statue before him with a lightning strike, but as the thunder fell the monster grasped a hold of Summoned Skull, causing the attack to strike both of them. Both monsters were thus eradicated, but Solomon still fell to the ground gasping for breath. He no longer had any monsters to defend himself with.

With the four statues gone, the walls began to lower, and Yami once more relinquished control to Yugi again. Not bothering to explain the appearance of Dark Magician to his friends, the boy took off running into the temple. This time, no traps were in his way, and he reached the tomb in record time.

Gathering all of his strength, Yugi threw himself against the cover of the tomb, pushing it has hard as he could. It was inexplicably heavy; for someone his size it'd be hard to even budge it. Yami knew this, and lent his strength to him. _Hurry, Yugi!_

Just as the sun's rays vanished, the lid slid off of the casket. Yugi barely had time to gasp for breath when a bright light shone from the empty tomb and rose into the air. Yugi shielded his eyes, backing away before daring to open them again. When he did, he saw something floating in the air: some kind of gold armor, hovering over a doorway of pure light. _What's it for?_ He asked Yami. _I thought this was the pathway home._

Yami shook his head, appearing momentarily next to his partner. _I have a feeling that getting home will be more complicated than just this._

"Yugi! You're okay!"

Yugi turned around to see his friends and grandfather racing in after him. He smiled weakly. "Thankfully," he replied. "What happened to you guys?"

Tea sighed. "Joey cramped up and couldn't hold the pose, so the statues came alive and attacked." With a more serious look, she turned her gaze to Solomon. "Mr. Mutou was able to hold on his own for a while, but he lost Summoned Skull."

Before Yugi could say a word, Solomon stepped forward. "We've got more important things to worry about," he said, gesturing vaguely to the tablet nearby.

"What's it say, gramps?" Joey asked. Solomon narrowed his eyes as he began to read:

_Pass through this doorway and thy journey shall start_

_Five trials will follow to test thy heart_

_But I warn you, this journey is not for the weak_

_Only a true warrior can unearth what you seek_

As though the words prompted it, the golden armor transformed into a golden light that raced full-force at Yugi. The boy shielded his eyes as the light blinded him momentarily, and he felt something weigh down on his shoulders. As he cracked his eyelids open again, Yugi found out where the weight had come from. The armor had vanished from above the doorway and now he was wearing it. "W-What the…"

"I guess the warrior mentioned in the riddle ended up being you," Tristan said, rubbing the back of his head.

Yugi had to protest. "This is nuts! I'm no warrior!"

"Whether you are or not," Solomon pointed out, "This is our only way home."

_He's right, Yugi,_ Yami said before Yugi could further protest. _If this is our only way home, then we'll have to pass those "trials" to escape._

Yugi repressed a sigh and nodded. "Right. Then let's go, guys!"

The group turned toward the door and walked through, preparing for the first trial.

**To be continued…**

* * *

Another toughie...

1. In the Japanese version of Yugioh, Kuriboh would "speak" by saying "Kuri," as opposed to the English version where he simply gave off animal-like sounds.


	10. The Voice of the Desert

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Ten: The Voice of the Desert**

* * *

_I'm not sure if we're ever going to make it out of here, so I'm writing this message in case anyone else happens to stumble upon it. My name is Yugi Mutou. My friends and I were on a vacation to India – the same place my grandfather was on an expedition with a friend of his – when our plane crashed in the middle of the forest. We met my grandfather's colleague, a man named Alex Brisbane, whom led us through a pyramid full of traps to show us where my grandfather disappeared. Eventually we were drawn into some other world where we're being forced to play a game to escape._

_Now we have to face five trials…at least that's what the riddle says. It said something about "what you seek," and I'm pretty sure it was referring to something other than the way back home. At any rate, I'm sure we'll be able to head back safely if we pass these things, but we're already in bad shape. Some of us are still sore from our last battle, and Grandpa doesn't have a single monster left. I keep telling myself that this is a game, there's always a solution, but even so I've got a bad feeling that something isn't right here…_

* * *

Yugi was glad that he had gone through the door with his eyes closed. When he opened them up again, he noticed that the area around him was not only less crowded, but a lot less dark. Desert sands stretched as far as he could see, with no oasis in sight.

"What now?" Joey mumbled. "Looks like our first 'test' starts in the middle of nowhere."

"We don't have much of a choice," Tristan pointed out. "We have to press on if we're going to go home. The question is, where do we start?"

"How about over there?"

All heads swiveled to Tea, whom pointed to the horizon nearby. She grinned in triumph. "There's a village over there. Maybe we can get some help."

The group wasted no time in heading toward the village. Once there, they glanced around the white tends strewn about the area. A few people peered out of them, but they all seemed nervous and unfriendly, thus the group ended up with a cold reception. Joey hung his head slightly. "Maybe we took the wrong turn?" He said. "These people don't seem to be too outgoing…"

"We've been waiting for you."

The group looked to the side to see a mysterious young girl standing before them. Her creamy-white robes and black pigtails blew softly in the wind, and as enchanting as she might have seemed, her eyes were dark and mysterious. An even stranger pendant was laced around her neck, decorated with five triangular amethysts arranged in a circle. Noticing that she had caught the group's attention, she turned and begun walking toward a nearby tent – one that was larger than the others. "Please come this way."

Joey eyed the back of the girl's head. "I don't know if we can trust her…"

"I don't see any other options," Tristan replied. "Let's just be careful."

The tent soon revealed itself to belong to the village elder. An old man sat inside on a cushion placed on a violet rug. A small red altar-like structure sat behind him. Once everyone was inside, the girl approached the man silently and whispered into his ear. Yugi and his friends exchanged glances. As the girl finished speaking, the man nodded and lifted his hands into the air, producing a mysterious blue flame.

Joey's eyes widened. "I recognize that," he said quietly.

His suspicions were confirmed when the flames vanished, and in its place a papyrus scroll appeared. The girl gingerly took it and handed it to Yugi, whom opened it. Solomon glanced over his shoulder and read it aloud quietly. "The first trial," he said. "Silence the whisper that rides the desert wind."

Yugi barely had time to ask for an explanation when a strong gust tore through the village.

_**Turn back!**_

"Is that the whisper that rides the desert wind?" Yugi asked anxiously.

The girl nodded. "Yes."

"Any last words of advice before we head out there?" Tea asked, shooting a nervous glance at the door.

"As we learned from our last visitor," the girl began, "The answer lies within the eye of the storm."

_Last visitor,_ Yugi echoed mentally. _Someone was here before us?_

_I believe so,_ Yami replied. _And I don't like the sound of it, either._

As the two closed their short conversation, the girl removed the pendant from around her neck and handed it to Tea. "This is for you. It will assist you on your journey."

"What does it do?" Tea asked.

The girl's blank gaze did not change. "It will become clear when the time comes," she responded.

The voice cackled.

* * *

The group headed into the desert almost aimlessly. While everyone remained on the lookout for anything suspicious, Yugi's mind still pondered. _Silence the voice that rides the desert wind…_

_**Leave this place!**_

"There it is!" Tea cried. "It's getting closer!"

"And it's already too close," Yugi replied when the cackling drew closer. "It's coming from down there!"

Joey leapt out of the way just in time for an enormous sandworm to erupt from the ground. Sensing the danger, Yami took control and immediately took a battle stance. "Be careful everyone! That's a Medusa Worm!"

Within moments, the group (sans Solomon) had summoned their monsters: Dark Magician, Flame Swordsman, Thunder Kid and Dark Witch. Before any of them could attack, however, the worm slunk back underground, only to reappear behind them. With a swift command, Dark Magician and Yami spun around. A lightning-fast attack from the wizard shattered the worm from existence.

"Way to go, Yugi!" Joey cried. "We cleared the first test!"

The blonde's victorious mood, however, was quickly erased when Yami's eyes narrowed. The voice was still there, cackling manically. "We're far from finished," the spirit said sternly.

On cue, the sandstorm picked up, blinding the five duelists. Four more worms appeared, and they did not delay in sending their own attacks at them. It wasn't long before they could see the worms, let alone their own capsule monsters or even their own hands.

_**Give up, Pharaoh! The sand shall swallow you all!**_

Yami clenched his teeth. "Everyone hold your fire!" He cried. "We can't risk attacking or we'll destroy each other!" _That voice is getting closer…any ideas, Yugi?_

_Remember the riddle,_ Yugi responded. _We have to silence the voice that rides the desert wind. Those worms are just diversions._

With a nod, Yami turned to his friends (or at least where he hoped they were). "The sand worms are just a distraction! We have to focus on that voice!"

_**Give up! Fighting is futile!**_

Another worm shot up out of the ground before Yami. Just as it was about to strike, Yami began to run, only to find himself being lifted off of the ground and straight up into the air. After shutting his eyes tightly to avoid the flying sand, Yami felt a fresh breath of air within moments, as well as another voice.

**Behold the source of the storm.**

Yami immediately recognized the voice as the Dark Magician's. Cracking his eyes open, he saw himself being carried above the clouds of the sandstorm, and before him was an enormous tornado.

_Remember what the girl said?_ Yugi stated. _"The answer lies within the eye of the storm." The eye of any storm is always peaceful; we just have to get there first!_

With that, the Dark Magician plunged into the fray once more, and Yami landed nimbly on the ground. Quickly ordering the Dark Magician to retreat and return to capsule form, Yami began to press forward. _Without any monsters to protect us, it will be difficult to get to the eye of the storm unharmed._

_We don't have any other choice,_ Yugi replied. _If we're going to pass this test and go home then we have to do whatever we can. I know it's a gamble, but we just have to have faith!_

Yami gave a simple nod in return and charged forward. As expected, the voice laughed at their advances and numerous worms shot up from the ground, impeding on their progress. Globs of sludge shot from their gaping maws, slamming into the ground around the sprinting duelist. One hit dangerously close, causing Yami to stumble, but he stood and took off again just in time for another attack to miss. They were almost there.

_**Pharaoh, turn back!**_

The wind was suddenly incredibly strong, and Yami sunk to his knees, gasping for breath. Yugi appeared next to him. _We're almost there! Don't give up!_

_It's too strong…I can barely stand…_

_You can do this! I know you can!_

With a reluctant nod from Yami, the trek continued. Up ahead, Yami barely made out a figure floating in the tornado, taunting him as he continued forward. The sand now rose half-way up his calves, and even walking became tiring. With a final cry of despair, Yami collapsed into the sand, losing consciousness.

**To be continued…**

* * *

I'm sorry for the slow update! But here you go, chapter 10! Enjoy!


	11. The Eye of the Storm

And now, the chapter you've been waiting for! Maybe. I hope this works

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Eleven: The Eye of the Storm  
**

* * *

The storm whirled furiously around Yami and his comrades, blocking all view of anything nearby. Yami lay hopelessly on the ground, the sand gradually covering him. The armor now only seemed to weigh him down rather than protect him. It was over. There was no longer a hope of going home. All was lost…

_I'm sorry…everyone…_

"He whom draws near…"

Yami's eyes cracked open just barely to see a mysterious light shining before him. A figure in a golden helm and a deep green cloak stood calmly, gazing through a mask at the spirit collapsed in the sand.

"The secret to this trial lies in the sacred armor you now wield."

Managing to stand, Yami cast a nervous glance to the man, though to anyone else his visage was stern as always. "Who are you?"

"I am here to guide you," the stranger said vaguely.

"Then please," Yami replied weakly, "Tell me what to do. I need help, and my friends are in danger…"

"Join forces and become one with your most trusted capsule monster to become the Dark Warrior." And with that, the stranger vanished, as did the light, leaving Yami standing dazed in the sandstorm. The man was gone, and he was once more left stranded in the storm.

_**You fool! Turn back! I'm invincible!**_

_We can't give up!_ Yugi cried. _Everyone's in trouble! We've got to finish this before they're done for!_

Yami agreed. Deciding to trust the cloaked man's words, he plucked a capsule from his belt, instantly recognizing it as the Dark Magician, and fired it immediately. _If my instincts are correct, then maybe this will work…_ Focusing with all his mind, Yami cried out as the golden armor began to shine with a brilliance he had never seen.

Dark Magician promptly vanished.

At first, Yami could feel Yugi panicking, but something else entered his mind. He felt another presence, similar to how he felt Yugi's all the time, but this one was different. With that new presence came a steady stream of powerful strength and energy, and he even felt something wrapping around him and protecting him. In his hand, some sort of weapon – a staff by the way it felt. _What's going on?! _Yugi cried.

Yami also began to glance around frantically until the new presence in his mind calmed him. Deciding to question it later, he narrowed his eyes in determination. "Time to silence that voice," he muttered.

_**Then come and get me, Pharaoh!**_

The spirit did not take lightly to being mocked. _Let's end this already!_ He cried.

It was as though he had done it all his life. Yami leapt into the air, soaring through it at incredible speed as he flew toward the tornado. It was incredible – they were _flying_ – but at the same time his thoughts were focused on one thing: silence the voice and pass the trial before anyone else got hurt.

_**You'll have to get past my worms first!**_

On cue, six sandworms erupted from the ground. To Yami, they suddenly seemed like a minor threat. He bounded off of each of them like a pinball in a machine, and once past them they shattered into oblivion. This meant little to him as he focused ahead. The eye of the storm was directly ahead. Focusing the power within him, Yami surged forward through a wall of wind, stopping promptly as the wind around him ceased.

He had made it.

Floating above them was a crimson-cloaked, ruby-eyed witch, sneering and mocking them with her cackling voice. Yugi cried out. _That's the voice, Yami!_

"Prepare to be silenced," Yami shouted, taunting the witch and rushing upward at her.

The witch, however, was not about to be destroyed so easily. _**Demons! Strike him down!**_

Streams of sand rushed from the wall of wind around them, but with an unfamiliar expertise Yami struck them down with a single swipe of the mysterious jade staff. Finally, an arm reached from the wall and grabbed the newly-armored Yami, trapping him inside it. For the briefest of moments, the spirit once again panicked, but with a surge of power the entrapment was crushed and fell to the ground in particles of sand. A furious glare was sent to the witch.

"Farewell!" Yami shouted as his newly-found power coursed down his arm and into the staff, sending a wave of destruction to his enemy as a battle cry from not two but three presences echoed throughout the entire desert. The witch screamed in terror as her existence within the game promptly ended, and the sandstorm with it.

As the sands cleared, Yami floated calmly to the ground, catching his breath momentarily before Yugi caught his attention. The boy's voice sounded a mixture between wonder and curiosity. _Yami, the armor…_

_What about it?_ The spirit asked. He might have sounded annoyed to anyone else, but Yugi knew better.

Yugi seemed hesitant at first, apparently trying to make a correct choice of words. It didn't take him long to. _It…it changed._

Yami took a deep breath of the fresh air (which was much safer and easier with the sandstorm gone) and looked at his arm to see what Yugi had meant. When he did look, he was shocked. The armored vest he wore had spread to cover him entirely, and now instead of gold it was violet. The jade staff was just as familiar. Within a moment's realization, Yami finally understood why he had felt another presence in his mind.

He had merged with the Dark Magician.

* * *

Joey, Tristan, Tea and Solomon had slumped in relief. The storm was over, and the petrifying effects of the worm sludge had quickly erased. Even so, everyone was still a bit on edge. "It's good that the storm's over," Tristan said, "But something definitely doesn't feel right."

"I agree," Solomon replied. "Remember that scream we heard? The storm ended when we heard it. I just hope no one in that village was hurt…"

"Now that you mention it," Tea began, "Has anyone seen Yugi?"

Joey shook his head. "No idea," he replied. "But maybe that guy knows." He gestured to a dark figure holding a staff on a nearby sand dune. Quickly making an agreement, the group recalled their capsule monsters and headed toward the person.

"Kind of reminds me of Dark Magician," Solomon muttered under his breath. "Excuse me, have you seen my grandson?"

The figure turned around and nodded. "I'm glad to see you all are unharmed."

Everyone did a double-take, but Joey was the first to speak. "Y…Yugi? Is that really you?"

Yami nodded. "Yes," he replied a bit blankly, apparently just as surprised as the rest of them. "I merged with Dark Magician to silence that voice…I wasn't able to see it clearly until now since the storm had blinded me."

There was a moment of silence before the armor vanished. The power suddenly gone, Yami felt his exhaustion returning, and the sudden weak feeling caused him to collapse once more. Tea immediately was at his side, propping him up. "Are you okay?"

Tristan, whom was familiar with such things, shook his head. "He's fine, Tea. Just exhausted."

_He's right,_ Yugi said. _Why don't you let me take over for a while? You need some rest._

Yami gave a small mental nod. _Right. Thank you, Yugi._

It was only mere moments before Yami was once again resting in his soul room and Yugi was once again in control. Timidly, he opened his eyes to see everyone kneeling around him. "I guess that fight really took its toll on me," he said weakly. "I didn't realize it at the time…"

"The armor must've done it as well," Solomon added. "You should be careful how you use it."

Tristan was focused on other things. "Guys, the village…"

"What about it?" Tea asked.

"It's gone," the boy replied, pointing to the horizon.

Sure enough, the village was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a small stone shrine with familiar statues on it – statues of the citizens of the town that they had seen. At the same time, one of the stones on the amulet Tea wore lit up to a beautiful rose-red.

There was no time to contemplate either occurrence. A geyser of sand spewed up from the ground. Fearing another worm, the group took a battle stance, but the fear quickly vanished when the sand receded to reveal a giant door. "I'm guessing that's the way to the next trial," Yugi said.

It made sense. The voice had been silenced, so the area they were in had served its purpose. Tea nodded. "So I guess whenever we clear one of the trials, one of the stones, lights up?"

"Probably," Joey said, "But there's only one way to find out, and that's by clearing the next one."

Yugi nodded enthusiastically. "Right," he said, throwing a fist into the air in triumph. "Let's go, everyone!"

The door opened and the group walked through, ready for the next trial.

**To be continued…**

* * *

Well, that was certainly awkward. Next trial, coming right up! WOOHOO!


	12. Light and Shadow

Trial number two time! Donuts are good, by the way.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twelve: Light and Shadow**

* * *

"Anyone want to tell me why the sun is trying to burn a hole in my eyes?"

Joey's exclamation wasn't too far off the mark. The sun was incredibly bright, and the area was hotter than the desert they just exited from. The area was roughly a normal landscape, with a few scattered mountains and a crevice nearby in a valley. What took the group by surprise, however, was the fact that there were clouds around them…_below_ the cliff.

"Looks like we're on a floating island," Tristan muttered. "Everyone keep away from the edge unless you're ready to skydive without a parachute."

"That sounds like fun," Joey remarked under his breath.

Yugi took a quick look around for anything suspicious, but was unable to find anything more out of the ordinary than he would have expected. _I wonder what our challenge here is going to be…_

_I'm not sure,_ Yami replied, _But I have no doubt that it'll be tougher than our last._

The boy nodded, but as he was about to turn and speak the same to his friends, the weakness and exhaustion from the previous encounter returned to him in a rush, causing him to collapse to his knees and slump to the ground.

Tea was the first to notice. "Yugi!" She cried, rushing to him. "Are you okay?"

There was no answer; Yugi was out cold. It didn't help to relieve everyone's worrying, but after quickly checking him over they decided that all he needed was some rest. Sighing, Tristan quickly scouted out a place to recover. It was only a matter of moments before he spotted a suitable spot. "Over there," he said, pointing behind them. "Let's duck into that cave."

Everyone agreed, and both Tristan and Joey carefully carried Yugi into the small cavern and gingerly set him down once there. Tristan sighed in disappointment. "Poor guy," he muttered. "He looks exhausted."

"I can't say I blame him," Solomon replied, even though the statement wasn't directed his way. "He single-handedly cleared that last trial. That armor probably drains more of his energy than we may think, but he's not about to answer our questions about it any time soon."

Joey grinned. "Then if that's the case, I say it's high time we repaid the favor." Standing, he gave a quick nod to Tristan. "Let's go."

Before Tristan could agree, a bright light shone from outside. The four of them (Yugi was still resting) raced outside to investigate, only to find that the light had faded upon their arrival, taking the form of another papyrus scroll. "Next clue, I guess?" Joey mumbled, looking slightly annoyed.

Solomon hardly needed a cue. Picking up the scroll and opening it, he cleared his throat. "Seems like it," he responded.

_Once a day, the unbreakable stone appears in the Valley of Light._

_To achieve the impossible, fight with a power that's greater than physical might._

"Doesn't sound too easy," Tea muttered. "Especially that bit about the unbreakable stone…"

Joey was still smirking her way. "Sounds easy enough to _me_," he replied. "I'm in." With a triumphant expression, he began to leave. He paused, however, when Tea sent a nervous glance back to the cave. With a kind smile, he put a hand on her shoulder. "You're worried about Yugi, aren't you?"

Tea nodded. "Yeah."

"Why not stay here and keep an eye on him?" Tristan said. "We can handle this. Yugi needs his rest, and if he wakes up and wonders where we are he'll probably need someone to explain what's going on anyway."

"Okay," the girl replied, smiling weakly. "Good luck."

With that the group parted, and Tea was left with the scroll and a sleeping Yugi to watch over. Wiping off his forehead with a damp rag, a worried look crossed her face as she looked outside the cave at the place her other friends once stood.

_Hang in there, everyone…_

* * *

The crevice was incredibly deep. Joey had a difficult time getting down, but Solomon had it even rougher and they ended up using alternative methods to help the old man down (namely Joey's Baby Dragon). Once below, the sun shifted in the sky and the crevice lit up bright as day.

"There's our valley of light," Tristan remarked, his voice a mixture of annoyance and satisfaction as his eyes adjusted to the change of brightness. "Now we just have to find that unbreakable stone…"

It didn't take them long to find it. A large, blank monolith sat atop a large stone altar at the end of the valley, which was only a few yards away. After approaching it, Joey crossed his arms. "So what now?" he said. "What'd the riddle say we should do?"

Solomon didn't take long to answer. "It said something about achieving the impossible by using a force greater than physical might…"

"Achieving the impossible," Tristan repeated. "Sounds like we'll have to break this unbreakable stone, if you ask me." Opening his armlet, he quickly launched Thunder Kid to attack the stone. An enormous electrical force emerged from the lizard's antennae, but as the lightning faded, the stone remained unscathed. "Not even a _scratch?_" he cried in shock.

Joey shook his head. "I have a funny feeling that there's more to this test than that stupid piece of rock," he said. When he turned around, his suspicions proved to be correct: a humanoid creature leapt from the sky and landed not too far from them. The instant it landed, the sun's rays reached the altar, and the three of them were temporarily blinded.

Squinting through the light, Tristan made out the strange creature: it was definitely made of glass or some other sort of material. It couldn't be too hard to beat, but if they were going to break the stone…

His thoughts were quickly interrupted when the monster lifted its arms, beginning to glow with a prismatic light. "Joey! Watch out!"

A beam raced from the creature's square chest and nearly slammed into the blonde, whom leapt out of the way just in time. "Tristan!" The blonde shouted. "What's going on?!"

"I don't know!" He cried. "But if we're going to find out how to break this rock, then we'll have to get that thing out of the way first!" As he finished his sentence, the humanoid fired another laser…this time at Tristan.

"Look out!"

The brown-haired boy barely dodged in time as the beam slammed into the stone behind them. As he began to stand again, he looked at the stone as the sweat rolled down his brow. _If I hadn't moved in time, I'd be the one with a hole through __**my**__ side instead of…wait a sec…_

Tristan closely inspected the spot where the laser had smashed into the stone. There was a very small and easy-to-miss indication of it, but the stone had a tiny scratch on it…a hole, even. It all began to make sense. Since the island was in the sky, the sun's rays were more intense than when they were on the ground, and that would mean…

He sent a smirk at the glass humanoid. "Hey, chandelier boy! Let's see how good your aim is!"

* * *

**You will never escape! Surrender, **_**Pharaoh!**_

But Yugi still ran. He had relinquished his body to Yami, whom was already sprinting at top speed and not making progress. A dead end quickly arrived, and they spun around to face the strange shadowy creature that was following them. Glancing at his hand, Yugi noticed that the Dark Magician's armor had once again covered him. Perhaps this time he could face the beast.

But then a light shone, and the armor shattered into countless pieces. Yami screamed in agony as the shadow sent a beam of destruction for him…

"NO!"

Yugi awoke with a start, sitting upright immediately and wiping a cold sweat off of his forehead (which turned out to be sweat _and _water for some odd reason). Catching his breath from the scare, he found it a bit easier to relax now that he knew it had only been a nightmare, and not a real occurrence…

The boy rubbed his head as he stood. _How'd we get in here?_ he wondered.

"Looks like you're finally awake!"

Yugi jumped a bit at first before recognizing the voice as Tea. Grinning, he exited the cave. "Yeah," he responded once outside. "I feel a lot better now. I guess that armor is just a bit hard to get used to…" He glanced around. "By the way, where is everyone?"

Tea absently fingered the papyrus scroll containing the trial's riddle. "They went to try and solve the next challenge. This is the riddle that showed up." She handed the scroll to Yugi, whom unrolled it. "Any idea what it says?"

"No," he responded. "But I know someone who does."

There was a small and suspicious breeze and Yugi had relinquished control to Yami. "The trial of light and shadow," he began quietly. "Once a day the unbreakable stone appears in the Valley of Light. To achieve the impossible, fight with a power that's greater than physical might."

Yugi appeared in spirit form next to Yami, whom had furrowed his eyebrows in thought. _Any idea what it means?_ The boy asked.

_Yugi,_ he replied, _This is only half of the riddle._

_Half?_

Yami nodded physically, deciding to fill in Tea as well. "This is the trial of Light and Shadows, but this only mentions Light…"

Tea groaned and lifted an arm to shield herself from the sunlight. "Can't we think about this in the shade before I melt?"

Both Yugi and Yami snapped to attention. "That's it!" With that, Yami jogged back into the cave and opened the scroll again. Tea followed, and what they saw surprised them.

"The symbols changed?" Tea said.

Yami nodded. "Exactly. You suggested that we read this in the shade, and that was what we had to do to see the message of the shadows."

"So, what does it say?"

As Yami read, he froze, his eyes widening in shock. _Yugi, our friends are in danger. We have to find them __**now**__!_

* * *

"I don't know what you're trying to do, Tristan," Joey grumbled loudly, "But whatever it is, I don't think it's productive!"

Tristan was still smirking. _Almost there…_

Another beam shot from the glass humanoid and the hole in the rock deepened. Grinning, Tristan shot a quick look to Joey. "Do me a favor, Joey! Distract this guy!"

"Not a problem," Joey replied, quickly loading and firing his Flame Swordsman. With a whirl of flames, the enemy creature quickly refocused its attention while Tristan commanded his Thunder Kid toward the stone. A bright clash of lightning slammed into it, and the cracks grew to the entire rock. Within moments, it crumbled to bits.

"Good job!" Solomon cried. "We cleared the test!"

"That leaves one thing left," Joey agreed. "Let's get rid of glassboy. Go, Flame Swordsman!"

Joey's trusted companion lunged forward, and with a swing of its sword an inferno erupted, consuming the humanoid monster and shattering it to smithereens. Just as the group began celebrating, however, a rumbling was heard behind them. Tristan gritted his teeth nervously. "I get the feeling we're far from done," he groaned.

* * *

Yami and Tea carefully scaled the side of the cliff, careful to watch their step. For some reason various chunks of rock had vanished, and the pathway was even steeper than it probably was before whatever battle had happened earlier.

"According to that riddle," Yami said vaguely, "Once the creature of light is gone, a more dangerous opponent appears."

"Then we should find them before that happens, right?" Tea asked.

"I just hope they'll be all right."

As they gazed down the cliff, however, they noticed that they were too late. A strange warrior clad in black armor stood among a heap of rubble, a pair of razor-sharp blades replacing its arms. Yami wasted no time in plucking his Dark Magician capsule from his belt.

"Yugi, no!" Tea cried. "It's too dangerous!"

But it was too late. In a flash of violet, both the Dark Magician and Yami were gone, and their form was racing down the side of the cliff.

As Yami descended, he sliced through falling rocks and debris with expertise, landing between the shadow warrior and his friends. As the dust cleared, Yugi's Dark Warrior form could clearly be seen. His glare was even clearer. "It's about time I finished this."

The shadow warrior raced toward him, and Yami blocked cleanly, shoving the warrior back before blasting it with a burst of Dark Magic. The shadow, taken completely by surprise from the attack, stumbled back and landed on the ground with a thud. Yami lowered his staff.

Joey took that as his cue. "Flame Swordsman!" He cried. "Finish this now!" The swordsman reared back his blade as it set aflame…

"Stop!"

…and it landed against Yugi's armguard.

Joey recoiled in surprise and recalled his Flame Swordsman. "What's going on?" he asked. "Don't we have to beat him?"

"No," Yami responded, gesturing to the chest that had appeared in the midst of the rubble. "See for yourself." As everyone gave him questioning looks, Yami removed the Dark Warrior armor and began to explain. "The trial was called the Trial of Light and Shadow, but the part that you initially read only mentioned the half about light. When I read it in the shade, the other half was revealed:

_When light is extinguished the true test begins, for a creature of darkness it brings._

_But only the righteous and peaceful may pass and receive the endowment of wings._

"When the chest appeared, that meant that the creature was no longer a threat, so I stopped Flame Swordsman." With that, he opened the chest, revealing several pairs of feathered wings.

"Well done."

The entire group spun around to see a cloaked stranger walking towards them – one that Yami and Yugi recognized. _Yugi, that's the cloaked stranger that we saw in the sandstorm!_

_He's back?!_

"This trial was a test of your _character_," the stranger continued. "Had you continued your attack you would have failed. By choosing the way of _peace_, however, you have once again proven your worth."

"Who are you?" Yami demanded, suspicious. "Why do you know so much about this place?"

"My name is of no consequence, Pharaoh," the man replied, surprising Yami for a moment, "But I can assure you that I am here as a friend, and I oversee these trials. Congratulations; you have passed the second trial."

A small shimmering sound caught Tea's attention and she glanced down at her pendant. "He's right," she said quietly, observing the necklace she wore. "The second stone just lit up."

The stranger nodded. "Three trials remain," he continued, "And the most difficult of tasks is still yet to come."

"Wait," Yami said sternly, "What happens if we fail these trials?"

The man gave a bitter and sad look to the spirit. "You will remain trapped here until the next warrior arrives to free you."

"And if we win?"

"You will be acknowledged the true king and an incredible power shall be yours."

_Incredible power…? _Yami gritted his teeth. He knew there was a reward for the game, but something definitely seemed suspicious about this one. "But I don't want such a power!"

"There _are_ those who _do, _Pharaoh, and you must claim that power before _they_ do."

Something in the man's voice as he disappeared gave Yugi goose bumps. _I have a bad feeling about this, _he said, _But I don't think that man is an enemy._

Yami nodded. He knew he could trust Yugi's judgment on someone's character, and this time he knew it was no different. Even so, he still had his doubts. _I can only hope you're right…_

**To be continued…**

* * *

Well, there's chapter twelve. I made it longer for you. n.n Trial three is next!


	13. Of Volcanoes and Chaos

Okay, wow. I watched the anime version of this episode on youtube and there's several deleted scenes that they didn't put on the DVD.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Thirteen: Of Volcanoes and Chaos  
**

* * *

_A mysterious man treaded the path alone, the amulet around his neck jingling as though mocking him. His energy was quickly running low, his mind swarming. All but four of his subordinates had deserted him. His conquest was quickly coming to an end. If he didn't do something soon…_

"_I must finish this!" He screamed furiously, even though no one was nearby. "Even if it means I most conquer the rest of the world on my own!"_

"_So, it is ultimate power you seek. What makes you think you are worthy?"_

_Before the man stood a robed and turbaned stranger, whom sent a knowing smirk down at him. The stranger's eyes widened. "Who are you…?"_

* * *

After a desert and a floating island, the group of duelists had no idea what to expect next, but it somehow came to no surprise that their next destination was a lava-covered wasteland with a volcano to complete the look. There was no vegetation of any kind to be seen, and no living creatures could be seen anywhere either. The magma below them flowed like a molten river. It would have been elegant if it wasn't so dangerous.

"This is even hotter than that floating island and the desert put together," Tristan moaned. "Can't we just take a vacation?"

"This was supposed to _be_ a vacation," Tea grumbled.

Yugi sighed, taking a look at the dark, cloud-covered sky. The darkness from above somehow radiated a foreboding feeling. "We won't be able to have a vacation until we pass these tests," he said.

"Leave this one to me!"

All heads turned to Joey, whom only grinned back at them. "I'm sure our next clue is somewhere around here," he said, "So you guys take a load off and let me take care of finding it!" With that, he ran off.

Tristan strongly repressed the urge to roll his eyes. "Is he nuts?" he said once Joey was out of earshot.

"Maybe we should give him the benefit of a doubt," Tea said, a weak smile on her face. "Ever since we first knew him he's always made reckless decisions and things always work out. Besides, weren't _you_ the one that said he could take care of himself, even though he can be rash?"

Not eager to hurt his pride, Tristan crossed his arms. "That's because we bail him out every time…"

Yugi shook his head. "If it hadn't been for Joey's _recklessness_ we wouldn't have found the passageway and rescued my grandpa. He's also the one that found the map that led us to the Fortress of Fear, remember?"

"You've got a point," Tristan replied. "We've all got our strengths. I guess that's what makes us a good team."

"One thing still bothers me," Solomon said. "I came here to find out who made this place and why, and I'm nowhere near solving that question than I am to inventing a time machine."

_I was just wondering the same thing,_ Yugi said, looking away with a suspicious look on his face. _Something tells me we aren't going to like the answer._

* * *

Joey knew he had the support of his friends – he usually did – but his morale wasn't quite as high as it could have been. The clue they needed was definitely going to be another riddle, and he was no better at solving them than he was taming a bear. As he walked along the cliff edge, he scanned the area carefully for any familiar papyrus scrolls. Just as he was about to give up hope, he heard a roar from behind him.

Just as he turned around to see where the sound had come from, a pitch-black dragon swooped overhead, missing the blonde by inches. Startled, Joey raced around the corner of the path and pressed himself to the wall. He was about to taunt the beast when he took a closer look. In wonder, he stepped out on the path again.

"…Red Eyes Black Dragon?"

His suspicions became clear as the creature swooped down again, this time grabbing Joey in its razor-sharp claws and lifting him into the air. Now thrown into a world of panic, the blonde flailed frantically and the dragon flew faster and faster through the air. A roar tore through the whistling wind and a red-and-black lightning crackled over both figures. Within moments, a dark and dangerous presence crept into Joey's mind.

* * *

_Something on your mind, Yugi?_

Yugi gave a mental nod. _Just that man in the cape and mask…he said something about a power, remember? And if what he said was right, there must be someone else here, too._

_It makes sense,_ Yami replied. _The only question is where are they?_

_This place is huge, _Yugi pondered. _They could be anywhere. Whoever they are, I hope they aren't ahead of us. From the way that man spoke, I'd have to guess that they aren't very friendly…_

"Yugi, look!"

Tea's voice snapped Yugi from his conversation with Yami. As he turned his gaze to her, he noticed her pointing across the molten river at a small alter…atop which was a very familiar object.

"Another scroll!" He exclaimed. "But how are we going to get it?"

With a rare smirk, Tea plucked a capsule from her belt. "Leave that to me."

It didn't take long. Tea called out her Dark Witch to fetch the scroll, and with elegance the woman flew across the lava and brought back the papyrus script before being thanked and recalled by her master. Without delay, Tea handed the scroll to Solomon.

_To gain the prize of thy desire, _

_Locate the peak that spits fire. _

_The Blade of Chaos thou must release, _

_To bring about a lasting peace._

"I don't think we'll have to look too far for the peak that spits fire," Yugi said with a grin, gesturing to the volcano. "It's right over there."

_Be careful,_ Yami warned. _I have a very strong feeling that this isn't all._

"What about the blade of chaos?" Solomon asked.

"We'll probably know it when we see it," Tristan promptly replied. "Now let's scale that thing."

It turned out scaling the mountain wasn't the easiest job in the world. Tristan wasted no time in complaining about it, either. "I love how Joey conveniently runs off right when we find out we have to climb a volcano…"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Sarcasm won't make this go any faster, Tristan. The sooner we get up this thing, the better."

Tristan muttered a reluctant agreement before furthering his climb, only to find that his hand had grabbed hold of a loose rock. Crying out in shock, he fell down toward the flowing river of lava.

As the ground rushed up to meet him, Tristan barely managed to grab a hold of another rock to stop the descent, and the whistling in his ears was silenced. With a quick look at the river below him, he cringed when the loose rock that had fallen with him met a fiery end in the magma. After a quick sigh of relief, Tristan glanced upward to begin his climb once more, only to find that his hand had landed on a capsule stone. Once more, his fall continued…

…and came to an abrupt halt as he landed on soft ground. Wiping the sweat off his brow, the boy turned to find the capsule he had just released…only to find that he was sitting on it. Acting on instinct, he seized the creature's horns and gripped with all his might as the long serpentine creature raced head-first upward to hover near the other three duelists.

_Well, _Yami exclaimed quietly, _I can't say I saw that coming._

Yugi gave an amused chuckle. _Yeah. Thunder Dragon isn't half bad, either._

"Tristan!" Tea cried. "You're…okay?"

The boy laughed. "Why climb when I've got my capsule monsters?"

Though Tristan had only meant to joke, Yugi's eyes widened with an idea. "That's it! We shouldn't be _climbing_ this thing…"

It didn't take long for Yugi's idea to catch on. Calling out her Dark Witch again, Tea began flying to the top. Solomon hitched a ride on Tristan's Thunder Dragon, and Yugi relinquished control to Yami and Dark Magician as they flew to the top as well. Flying was definitely much faster than climbing, and they reached the volcano in a matter of seconds, where they landed on a flat bit of ground near it.

"Looks like we found our blade of chaos," Tristan said, pointing to the ridge of the somewhat dormant mountain. Within the stone, an elegant blade was embedded.

"And according to the riddle," Solomon reiterated aloud, "We have to release it in order to stop chaos and bring peace…" He gave a quick glance to the magma river. "The chaos must refer to that lava. Maybe all we have to do is pull out the sword."

"It sounds simple enough," Yami said. _But why do I get the feeling there's a catch…_

_I don't doubt there is,_ Yugi replied. _I've got a very bad feeling about this._

Yami nodded and turned to everyone. "Since I have the armor, I'll go. The rest of you wait here. We don't know how dangerous this is, and I'd rather not take chances."

Everyone came to a very quick agreement. Yami cautiously stepped forward, staff in hand, and his eyes locked onto the sword. It couldn't be too difficult; just pull it out and they'd be done. With his strength pooled with that of the Dark Magician, it'd be easy…at least, that's what he hoped.

His thoughts immediately proved to be wrong. As he neared the cliff wall, an explosion of red and black flame slammed into the ground where Yami once stood before leaping back in caution. As he landed, he took a battle position and readied his staff, but what he saw shocked him to the core.

It was a person wearing a suit of armor similar to that of his own, only it was blacker than night. The helm formed a dragon's head, and the wings were made of wickedly curved blades. The person held a long axe in his hand, and claws extended to protect the back of his hands. Similar blades rose from his armguards and shoulders. What really caught Yami's attention, however, was the person's identity.

"Joey?!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

Bleh, two chapters in a single day again. That was nuts. And the chapters are gradually getting longer, too. Anyway...next chapter coming soon, stay tuned.


	14. Red Eyes Black Curse

Ladies, Gentlemen and Kuribohs...I mean children...I give you chapter 14! Chapter named after the episode because I couldn't think of a better title.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Fourteen: Red Eyes Black Curse  
**

* * *

Everyone was in total shock. Before them, in the smoke clearing from the blast of flame, was definitely Joey in his newly-found suit of pitch-black armor. He gazed down at the other four duelists with a dangerous smirk on his face, his hands gripping his long axe tightly. Yami was the first to speak of the strange sight before them. "Joey, what happened to you?!"

The blonde simply laughed. As he did, Yami noticed an otherworldly voice joining his friend's, and he recognized it as only one thing: possession.

"**It's the same thing that happened to you, Yugi,"** Joey replied, an uncharacteristic sneer on his face. **"I merged with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Now that I've got a bit more power, I think I'll finish this game without you morons."**

Tristan was on the verge of shouting a protest when Solomon stopped him. "That's not Joey talking to us," he said quietly. Only then was it apparent to the ones who hadn't already known that Joey was possessed...but by what?

"Snap out of it!" Yami cried.

Joey sneered. **"You're jealous 'cause I'm stronger now, aren't you? How about a demonstration?!"** Summoning another sphere of dark flame, he hurled it at the three unarmored duelists behind Yami.

"Joey, stop!" Yami protested. "You don't know what you're-"

**"****You're just a pathetic coward who can't fight for himself!"**

Yami protested again and again, but Joey would not listen, and attacked him continuously. The situation was highly dangerous; even Joey's bladed wings were a weapon. _We can't fight him!_ Yugi screamed in terror. _Not against Joey!_

_We don't have any choice!_ Yami replied reluctantly. The instant Joey backed away for another attack; Yami shot a blast of dark magic at the black-armored blonde, missing by inches intentionally.

For the briefest of moments, Joey paused, blinking in surprise. His red eyes seemed to revert back to hazel for the briefest of moments before the crimson once again took over. **"So that's how you want it, eh?" **He growled angrily. **"Well, it's your funeral!"**

Joey raced after Yami, whom ducked into a canyon nearby. "Joey!" He cried. "I know you're in there somewhere! Please, come back!"

**"****Face it, loser! You just can't face the facts!"**

As Yami kept fleeing and defending, Yugi could only watch in terror, but for a moment he thought he could hear someone crying out for help.

* * *

Meanwhile, the other three duelists were recovering from the blast moments earlier. Tea glanced up to the rim of the volcano. What she saw was definitely not something she liked. "Look!"

No one needed an explanation. The sword above them was sinking into the stone of the volcano. All three of them rushed up the stone and grabbed a hold of the blade's hilt and handle at once. As hard as they pulled, however, they were unable to even budge it, and it sunk even further. Even with their combined strength, the sword wouldn't move.

A familiar and threatening laugh came from behind them, as did a blast of strong wind. The group barely had enough time to see Joey behind them before the gust threw them back down to where they came from. Solomon pushed himself up slower than the rest of them, but even though he was injured, his serious expression did not falter. "Joey's too strong."

"So now what?" Tristan asked. "It's not like we can pull that sword out by ourselves, and Yugi's got his hands full. If Joey keeps attacking us, there's no way we'll be able to get it out, let alone even stay up there."

"That's what I mean," the old man said, scowling. "We need to take him down."

A gasp resounded from the other two duelists, even over the clash of steel above them. Tea shook her head fervently. "If we attack him, he'll get hurt…"

"He probably will," Solomon replied with his eyes narrowed. His mind was not changing, and even as he seemed reluctant to follow through with his plan he knew it had to be done. "But whether he does or not, this is a chance we have to take. We won't be able to get that sword out as long as he's attacking _us_."

Tristan and Tea gave a reluctant nod, and within a flash, Thunder Dragon, Thunder Kid and Dark Witch appeared. "I don't know if I can go through with this," Tea insisted. "If we defeat him he could be trapped here forever."

"But if we fail this challenge," Tristan replied quietly, "Then we'll _all_ be stuck here. I don't think he'd want that. I just hope this works either way…"

* * *

The attacks continued, and Yugi's determination could be seen through even Yami's eyes. As the two raced for each other, they readied their weapons for another strike as they raced head-on at each other.

_I don't want to do this!_ Yugi cried. _Not to Joey! He's my best friend!_

_There's no other choice!_ Yami replied. _I don't want to fight him either but there's no choice! There's got to be a way to snap him out of it!_

The two collided, and a bright flash of light enveloped the area. Yugi, even in spirit form, felt himself being torn from his current position and into a realm of utter and total darkness. He tumbled into an endless abyss, the golden armor on him weighing him down before he finally slowed to a stop. He opened his eyes and saw a single light in the distance, and with it came a voice.

"Yugi, Is that you?"

Yugi's eyes widened. "Joey…?"

"Yeah, it's me! You've got to help me get out of here!"

It was definitely Joey, no doubt about it…but his voice was weak and at the same time frantic. He needed Yugi, that was for sure, and Yugi knew that this was the _real_ Joey, not the one that Yami was fighting. "I'll help you, but I don't know how…what happened?"

Joey was not very close to him, but somehow, Yugi could see every detail on his face, right down to the dirt and soot that was on him from when he had first encountered the dragon. "When I found Red-Eyes he merged with me, but I think something's wrong with him. He can't control his own mind, and now that we're merged neither can I!"

The concept was not altogether unfamiliar for Yugi. Whenever Yami merged with Dark Magician they shared his consciousness, so when Joey did the same then he had to have shared that of his own partner. But for both of them to be possessed… "He's cursed, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Wanna know how to get rid of it?" There was a brief pause when Yugi nodded. Joey gritted his teeth and answered. "You have to destroy it. It's the only way."

Yugi doubled back. "But then I'd be destroying you, too!"

Joey shook his head. His control was slipping, and so was the fading light. "I don't know, Yugi, but if you don't do this, then it's game over for everyone! So hurry!"

In an instant, a light flooded Yugi's vision and he was jerked back into his spirit form within the Millennium Puzzle, watching Yami attempt to hold off his possessed friend. The spirit was completely frantic. _Yugi! Answer me NOW!_

Yugi, still shaken from his encounter, responded a bit weaker than he should have. _I'm fine._

_Thank Osiris; I thought you had left me again. What happened?!_

_I'll explain that later,_ Yugi said, a strangely grim tone to his voice. _I know what we need to do, Yami…_

* * *

No longer seeing Yugi as a threat, Joey resumed his position in front of the sword again, slowly stopping as he hovered above the ground in front of the sword. Tristan clenched his fist. "Prepare to strike!" He cried, readying an order for his monsters. He stopped, however, when Tea fell to her knees, gritting her teeth.

"I can't do this," she said. "Not Joey… There's got to be another way to help him!"

"I'll do it."

The other three stared at Yami incredulously as he landed in front of them. Joey, however, sneered. **"In your dreams,"** He said. **"Time to teach you a lesso-"**

_**The one that needs a lesson is **_**you**_**, you axe-swinging freak!**_

The voice had come from everywhere and nowhere at once. At the sound of it, all five of the duelists – Joey included – froze. Joey began to tremble, but on closer inspection he was trying to move…and not succeeding. **"Who's there?!"**

As everyone else exchanged glances, Yugi locked his gaze with Joey. "This ends _now_!"

Joey gritted his teeth. **"No! I'm ganna take you down! Let go of me!"**

_**Yugi, now!**_

A blast of magic soared through the air from Yugi's jade staff and slammed into Joey's still-hovering form. The blonde's scream resounded throughout the entire wasteland as the pitch-black armor tore from his body, taking the form of a dragon and soaring into the sky. Joey remained suspended in the air a moment, his white jacket rustling in the wind for the briefest of moments before he fell to the ground motionless.

The other three duelists ran his way as Yami landed quietly next to him. Tristan, as he was well-practiced enough in martial arts and first aid, knelt down to the blonde and checked his pulse. After a few moments, he looked up with a grin. "It worked! He's okay!"

Before everyone could cheer or even smile, Solomon's own words silenced them all. "Don't celebrate just yet! We failed!"

Everyone followed his gaze to the sword embedded in the volcano, or rather where it was moments ago. They had saved their friend at the cost of the trial. Now there was no way home.

The worst was yet to come. As they gazed upward, a familiar creature soared above them, roaring in pain and anger. Yami recognized it immediately. _Red-Eyes Black Dragon is still alive, Yugi!_ He cried. As the dragon readied an attack, Yami acted once again with an instinct that was not his own. A glyph appeared with two familiar cylinders on it, facing the dragon. As Red-Eyes Black Dragon shot a blast of dark flame, it fell into one cylinder, shooting out of the other and slamming back into its sender. The winged beast roared in agony and crashed into the ground.

Joey's eyes snapped open, as though caused by the dragon's rough landing. Pushing himself to his feet with an exhaustion that was all too familiar to Yami, he staggered over to the fallen dragon. "It's about time this ended," he said weakly as he climbed onto the dragon's back.

"The sword is gone," Solomon said. "What are you doing?"

Joey did not answer. Instead, the group saw the dragon he stood on begin to squirm in pain. Yami focused his vision and saw Joey pulling on something embedded in the beast's spine. At first he believed it to be a spike along the dragon's spine, but upon closer inspection…

_That's the blade of chaos!_ He cried mentally. _Yugi, you were right!_

A black light shot out from the crack in the dragon's scales where the sword was finally being removed. Blood-red strikes of lightning-like energy erupted as well, threatening Joey with pain. The boy remained adamant and removed the sword even as his body began to ache. At long last the blade slid out of its living sheath, and Joey threw it to the side. Yami wasted no time in hurling a blast of dark magic at the sword, shattering it to countless pieces. As he did, a small and familiar sound was heard.

"We cleared the third challenge," Tea said in wonder. "But…how?"

"The sword in the volcano was a decoy," Yami explained. "It was set there to bring us to that area, but the real sword was in Joey's Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Thanks to his bravery, we were able to destroy the blade and the curse with it."

Tea smiled warmly while Tristan and Solomon simply grinned. "Good job, Joey," she said, giving him a thumb's up.

With a weak smile, Joey climbed (and mostly slid) back down from the dragon's back and walked toward its head. "Thanks, Red-Eyes," he said quietly. "I couldn't have done it without you. Now get some rest." With that, he patted the beast on the nose as a golden light began to surround it. The dragon seemed to smile at Joey before it was engulfed in a light, minimizing into a familiar cylindrical capsule that floated into Joey's hand.

Its work done, the Dark Warrior armor dispelled from Yami, causing him to stagger and catch his breath momentarily before relinquishing control to a similarly tired Yugi. As usual, Tea caught on quick. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," Yugi insisted. The armor wasn't causing him pain. Having it on for so long had caused both of them to become used to having so much power at their disposal that when it was removed it was like someone had sapped their energy instead of releasing a power they no longer needed. _We need to be careful how we use this armor,_ he said nervously. _It may not be hurting us but that much of an energy difference is a huge shock._

_Using the armor isn't the only thing we need to be careful about,_ Yami said. _We still have two more trials to go._

Little did they know that they were all being watched.

**To be continued…**

* * *

END CHAPTER 14


	15. Into the Labyrinth

Some of the food jokes had to stay in this chapter because that's what actually moved it along in the anime, but some will change. The donut joke, however, is courtesy of one of my reviewers.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Fifteen: Into the Labyrinth**

* * *

When the five of them had stepped through the doorway to the next challenge, they had initially expected another treacherous landscape, but instead they found themselves in quite an opposite location. Numerous tropical fruit trees grew in the area, and the sky was a clear blue with no clouds at all. Solomon's eyes widened at the very sight of it. "This is simply incredible!" he exclaimed.

Tea was also completely amazed. "Yeah, I've never seen so many fruit trees! This place is amazing!"

The old man chuckled. "That's impressive too, Tea, but I was referring to the fact that Joey can eat twice his weight in tropical fruit." He gestured to the blonde in question whom was contentedly wolfing down oranges, grapes, bananas and other various fruits.

"He _is_ a self-proclaimed food freak," Yugi said in amusement, remembering the day that Joey had first officially declared it. For the life of him, Yugi would never know how Joey could eat an entire box of donuts and still stay in shape without getting so much as a stomachache.

Tristan rolled his eyes. "As long as he's eating he won't be able to talk."

"That doesn't mean I can't _hear_ you!" Joey shot back, annoyed, and he peeled another banana and prepared to bite into it when an explosion of smoke stopped him dead in his tracks. When it cleared he pulled the banana out of his mouth, only to find that it was another papyrus scroll. After staring a bit regretfully at what would have been his next snack, Joey handed the parchment to Solomon.

_Choose the apple that gives you a raise_

_Then offer it up in the secret maze_

"Hopefully that apple will be more edible than our clue," Joey muttered under his breath, stuffing a few pieces of fruit in his jacket pockets. "I'm still hungry…" As he reached for another banana, Tristan muttered something about eating a snack once they were done and dragged Joey away from the pile he had made.

"This place is chock full of apples," Tea said, perceptive as ever as the group began their search. "How are we supposed to tell which one is the right one for the riddle?"

"We'll probably know it when we see it," Yugi replied. "That's how it was with our last few challenges."

"That could take forever," Joey lamented. "This place is enormous…" He turned back around, muttering in hopelessness. Promptly, however, he staggered, and his head vanished in a ripple in the air. His voice, suddenly muffled, cried out in surprise, and he leaned in a bit more.

Everyone paused. "What do you see, Joey?" Yugi asked, hoping his friend was alright.

Thankfully, Joey was, but he was still shocked. "Nothing; that's the problem!"

Shrugging, everyone stepped forward to see what the problem was. Their heads went through an invisible barrier similar to Joey, but past it there was nothing but shadows and darkness; not even solid ground was to be seen. Yugi was at first shocked, as it reminded him strongly of the shadow realm, but was quickly put at ease when he did not feel anything sapping his strength. Tristan was the first to shout in surprise, but Solomon remained calm. "This is as far as our map goes," he explained casually, "So this world doesn't exist past this point."

Quickly deciding to about-face, the group pulled themselves from the invisible wall and continued searching the area for any traces of suspicious-looking apples. All they found, however, were more invisible barriers. Solomon was quick to note that it was a good thing, and that since the jungle was smaller than they originally anticipated then finding the apple would be a lot easier. With renewed determination, everyone set back to work.

Unfortunately, Tristan quickly became distracted.

Yugi and his friends quickly approached the boy to see what his problem was, but they didn't have to ask. An _enormous_ fruit-looking object sat embedded in the ground. Yugi blinked. "…a melon?"

"It's always been a dream of mine to eat an enormous cantaloupe!" Tristan said with great gusto while weeping tears of joy that no one else thought they'd ever see coming from him. "I was the president of the national melon lover's fan club for _four years_!"

Everyone stared at the boy incredulously. "That's…interesting," Yugi replied. In the back of his mind he could sense even Yami giving the boy a strange look.

_I thought he was a more serious person than that,_ the spirit muttered in amusement, raising an eyebrow.

Yugi shrugged physically, earning him a glance from Joey. _Everyone's got their quirks, I guess… _He replied.

Tristan fervently tried to remove the giant fruit from the ground, but he quickly noticed that it wasn't about to happen (and was also convinced by Joey and Tea that they could return to the melon later) and instead pulled out a marker and drew a cartoonish face of himself. "Now the world knows this melon is _mine_!" he said victoriously.

Right on cue, the melon began to sink underground, much to Tristan's surprise and annoyance. "Get back here with my giant cantaloupe!" He cried, leaping in after it.

The rest of the group immediately crowded around the deep and bottomless-seeming hole. While Tea and Yugi was worried for their friend's safety, Joey just shook his head. "He's nuts…"

If Tristan had heard them, he apparently didn't care about Joey's remark. "Hey, guys!" He called out to them. "You might want to see this!"

* * *

The hole had led down to a secret passageway. Joey was still miffed that he had missed a chance to taunt Tristan about his sudden melon obsession, but he still moved along quietly and decided to save his remarks for later. At the end of the tunnel was a bright golden light, and the group wasted no time in heading toward it.

Once they reached it, a room before them became apparent. The golden light lit up the room, and there was no need for any lamps or lanterns of any sort. Three pillars stood before them, and beyond was a long flight of stairs. The entire room was made of some sort of stone, and the ceiling was so high that it could not be seen. As Yugi glanced up to find the source of the light, however, he found something very interesting.

"Look," He breathed in wonder. "The light is coming from those apples!"

He wasn't far off the mark. They were definitely apples, and they glistened with a golden glow that was just enough to light up the room but not blind anyone when they tried to discern the source, and since there were three of them, there was plenty of light to see in the room.

"The riddle mentioned an apple that gives you a raise, right?" Joey asked. "So…how come there are three? Are we supposed to eat two of them or something?"

"Trust a guy to think with his stomach," Tea groaned, shaking her head in exasperation.

Joey looked hurt. "I'm serious," he protested.

"Odd enough for you to be figuring out riddles," the girl said, grinning. "You read a few encyclopedias on the way through the tunnel or did that snack of yours do the trick?"

For once, Joey was at a loss. Yugi, however, suddenly seemed suspicious. _It might be odd, but Joey doesn't normally figure these things out easily. I have a feeling it's not a coincidence._

Yami only nodded in reply. Knowing that was all he was going to get out of his partner, Yugi looked around the room for a way to climb up the pillars, but he didn't find one. Instead, he found something else residing near the stairs. "Is it just me or is something familiar about this room?" He said suspiciously.

A spherical object sat next to the stairs. On it was a cartoonish depiction of someone's face. Tristan didn't take long to notice. "My melon!" he cried.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Tea replied slyly. On cue, the "melon" slid out from its hiding place and stood in front of the stairs, revealing itself in the light to be an enormous caterpillar. The face that Tristan had drawn was on its head. The bug reared up and growled at them.

"He doesn't seem too friendly," Joey muttered dryly. "I say we get that apple and get out of here!"

"Fine by me!" Tristan said. "I'll distract the bug!" With a swift motion, he plucked a capsule from his belt and called out Thunder Kid. The moment the lizard landed on the ground, however, the entire room began to tremble.

_Not good,_ Yugi thought nervously. _I get the feeling we didn't look closely enough at the riddle…_

_Yugi! Look out!_

Yugi leapt out of the way just in time as the floor tile beneath him rocketed to the ceiling. The five duelists scattered in panic as the room stretched and shifted, becoming larger and deeper than they could have ever imagined. The tiles on the floor rose to the roof, forming walls that blocked everyone off from each other. Passageways opened in various spots, but otherwise they were trapped, alone in the endless darkness. The rumbling continued as the room kept evolving, leaving the friends separated far from each other.

Yugi's eyes widened in shock even as the sounds died down. "What's going on?!" He cried as the walls solidified. He was still with his grandfather, but everyone else was gone and out of sight. He spun around, looking about wherever he could in search of his friends. As he screamed in desperate confusion, his voice echoed off of the walls. "Where _are_ we?!"

Solomon managed to push himself to his feet after stumbling from earlier, and quickly surveyed his surroundings. The room was definitely the same they had been in moments before, but when Tristan had called out his Thunder Kid the room had grown larger and transformed. Yugi hoped that his grandfather would know what was going on, and fortunately he was correct. "It looks like we've been trapped in a labyrinth of sorts…" he said, surprisingly calm. "So this must be the secret maze we need to solve. Before we go about doing that, we should probably reunite with everyone."

Yugi nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

_Be careful Yugi,_ Yami warned. _Aside from your friends, I have a strong feeling we're not the only ones in here…_

**To be continued…**

* * *

So...food, mazes and melon bugs. Lovely. Stay tuned for more!


	16. Solving the Maze

Hirotama Soul needs some action. Spoiler for Duelist Kingdom in here.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Sixteen: Solving the Maze**

* * *

Tea didn't know which was worse: The fact that she was alone in a maze and couldn't find her friends, the fact that she was alone in a maze and not knowing where she was going, or the fact that Joey was also alone in the maze and probably apt to do something extremely reckless. Groaning as she met yet another dead end, she turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction, hoping for a bit more luck.

A sudden hissing sound sent chills up Tea's spine. Spinning around suspiciously, she instinctively reached for her belt and pulled out her Dark Witch capsule. "Who's there?!" She demanded.

Her answer came in the form of a spider-silk whip that lunged forward and snatched Dark Witch's capsule from her hand. From the shadows in the corner, an enormous spider crawled down the wall and scurried toward her. Knowing that she had no other offensive monsters, Tea made a run for it, the spider not far behind. Unfortunately, she was quickly met with another dead end, and she gazed about frantically for any sign of her friends for help.

_Happy Lover wouldn't stand a chance against that creep,_ she said, swallowing nervously. As she looked to the side, however, salvation graced her in the form of a capsule stone. She raced for it, only to be snagged by a spider silk whip by the ankle. Hitting the ground with a thud, Tea pulled Happy Lover from her belt and launched him. "Get me that capsule!" She cried desperately.

The little angel flew behind the capsule and began to shove it with all of its strength. While it did, Tea did her best to inch forward as far as she could as the enormous spider started forward, reeling in its catch…

"I know you can do this!" Tea cried, encouraging Happy Lover as the capsule began to wobble from its efforts. With one last shove, the stone fell, barely making contact with the girl's fingertips. Without waiting to see what creature was inside, Tea ordered an attack. The light formed into a great pink dragon, and a burst of azure flame erupted from its maw and slammed into the gigantic arachnid. As it shattered from existence, a familiar capsule rolled toward Tea, whom picked it up and replaced it in her belt.

"Nice work, Happy Lover." With that, she recalled the little creature, replacing his capsule on her belt and mounting the dragon. "Alright, let's solve this maze and find our friends!"

* * *

Tristan rolled his eyes in exasperation as he found himself walking toward another T-shaped intersection. "I can't take this," he muttered. "Every wall looks the same…" Staring at the ceiling, he searched his mind for ideas. _What would you do if you thought you were running into the same place over and over?_

It didn't take him long to come to a conclusion. Pulling out his marker, he drew his face on the (surprisingly smooth) wall and clicked the cap back on victoriously. "Perfect!" he said proudly, beaming as Thunder Kid cocked its head at the childish drawing. "Now if we see that, we'll know we've already been here!"

With that, the two continued down the corridors, but in two simple turns they found themselves walking into the same wall. Tristan glared at the wall as though it was taunting him, drew his face again and continued. After a few rounds, however, they arrived at the very same wall. Tristan sighed. "I don't think walking around is helping us anymore," he groaned.

At that, Thunder Kid pulled on Tristan's sleeve and pointed down to a nearby dead end like a kid convincing their father to take them to a candy shop. Down at the dead end was a familiarly-shaped object: A capsule stone.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Tristan said, shrugging as he activated it. "I just hope whatever's in here is friendly." As the light erupted from the capsule and took form, Tristan gulped nervously.

* * *

Joey groaned loudly in frustration. Instead of trying to wander around aimlessly, he had decided to draw out the map on the back of the map he had received from the chest when he first arrived in the Capsule Monsters world. His progress in sketching out the maze, however, was not so great, and he ended up resigning himself to the fact that he could be trapped in the labyrinth forever. Reluctantly he pulled a banana he had stuffed into his pocket and took a bite out of it.

Strangely enough, the instant he tasted the fruit on his tongue, he felt his energy skyrocket. Blinking in surprise, he looked back down at the map he was drawing, and somehow he saw it in a completely different way. A few minor changes and the map suddenly made complete sense to him.

A rustling behind his ears caught his attention. Turning around, Joey found a very familiar monster standing behind him, and it wasn't his.

"Just great," he muttered. "Battle Ox!" As he reached for a capsule, the minotaur-esque creature struck with its axe, barely hitting Joey in the process. Luckily the energy boost that the apple had given him seemed to give him enough power to leap out of the way just before he would have been crushed in two. The great beast began to rear its axe again, and Joey began to load a capsule…

The wall suddenly burst into fragments and the Battle Ox vanished in a cloud of rubble and smoke. Joey stood still for a moment, his hand poised over his armlet with a capsule. As he ran over to investigate the rubble, he did not find the Battle Ox. Instead, Joey saw a very strange creature shaped like a fish with a demon's head and two shovel-shaped arms racing around the maze. He also saw a very familiar – and screaming – person sitting atop it: Tristan Taylor.

* * *

"This doesn't look incredibly easy," Yugi groaned.

Solomon nodded in agreement. "It's pitch-black…I can hardly see a thing."

_You should probably light up this place a bit,_ Yami suggested. _We have a monster that can do that, right?_

Yugi quickly found what Yami was referring to. Reaching for his belt awkwardly (it had always been Yami calling forth the capsule monsters since they arrived there), he fired Hirotama Soul from its capsule. As the living ball of flame took form, the area surrounding them became clearer. "That help any?"

The old man nodded. "A bit. My eyes aren't quite what they used to be, but this definitely helps."

Nodding in reply, Yugi sent another question to Yami. _Did I do it right?_

_Yes,_ Yami replied. _Just be careful. I will not allow you to be hurt if you end up in battle._

It came as no surprise to Yugi that Yami would not let him battle, but his mind began to wander. _That would mean you wouldn't let me wear the Duel Armor either, right?_

_Correct,_ Yami replied. _It may give you power and energy from the monster you fuse with, but once the armor releases all of it is taken back right away. It's not impossible for you to use it, but it's also not very different from dueling in the Shadow Realm…_

Yugi shuddered at the thought. When he had fought Pegasus in the Duelist Kingdom, he constantly switched minds with Yami to confuse the man, but soon he had taken their match to the Shadow Realm. Yugi did not have enough power to sustain himself and had promptly passed out after only a short amount of time, almost losing his soul entirely. Had it not been for his friends and the power of the Millennium Puzzle that united them, he probably would have been lost forever…

A sudden crashing noise caught Yugi's attention, jerking him from his thoughts. Solomon also noticed it, pausing. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Yeah," the boy replied. "It sounds like something…" He paused for a moment. "…smashing?"

* * *

"Would it _kill you_ to practice a bit of driving etiquette?!" Joey yelled as Shovel Crusher smashed through another brick wall. Tristan had managed to stop the creature long enough for Joey to climb on. Once he had made it onto the creature's back, however, it had immediately resumed its rampage through the labyrinth.

Tristan shook his head in response to his friend. "I've got a strong feeling that he doesn't care about that sort of thing!" he shouted over the rushing sound of the wind and she crumbling walls.

"How about slowing it down?!"

"I don't know how to do that either! Just hold on!"

* * *

Tea groaned as she reached yet another dead end. Even while riding Seiyaryu, she was no closer to solving the maze than she was finding her friends. Sighing, she began to turn to head in another direction when the wall exploded in front of her. Halting immediately next to the hole in the wall, she caught sight of a strange monster vanishing into distance as well as two familiar faces staring at where it went. She smiled pleasantly. "Yugi! Mister Mutou!"

The boy and his grandfather waved casually. "Fancy meeting you here," Solomon said, chuckling. "Have any room for us?"

"Why not hitch a ride on our bulldozer?"

The two caught sight of Tristan and Joey sitting atop Shovel Crusher near the hole as well. Grinning, Tea dismissed her Seiyaryu (and Yugi his Hirotama Soul) and they all climbed aboard before the beast took off at top speed again, smashing into wall after wall.

"I hope we're going through here in the right direction," Tristan said as a few more walls crumbled from Shovel Crusher's fury.

"Isn't this cheating, though?" Joey replied.

Solomon just laughed. "The riddle didn't say anything about _how_ to solve the maze," he said. "For all we know, this is the only solution to it."

Shovel Crusher only seemed to go faster and faster as it barreled through the maze. Before long, the group was thrown to the ground as the beast finally ran out of energy. Sighing and recalling it, Tristan placed the capsule in an empty loop in his belt. The group quickly recognized a golden light that filled the room, as well as three pillars and a set of stairs. "Looks like we made it back," Tristan said dryly. Having taken the most damage from Shovel Crusher's wall-clobbering rampage, he found it hardest to stand (aside from Solomon, though that was due to his old age more than anything).

Eager to solve the riddle as always, Yugi closely inspected the room. For some odd reason it was dimmer than earlier. He looked at and around the pillars, hoping for a way to climb them, but he only noted a difference that didn't contribute…one that certainly caught his attention. _Yami, when we first got here there were three apples…but now there are two._

_That's not the only thing different about this room now that we're back,_ Yami replied. _Take a good look next to those stairs._

Yugi did. He noticed that the caterpillar from earlier was gone, but in its place was a large and very familiar-looking cocoon. As he took it in, it shook and began to split open. In terror, the group began to back away. Out of the crack in the great shell arose an enormous and familiar-looking insect.

"I'd know that bug anywhere," Yugi cried, a certain memory of Duelist Kingdom returning to him. "That's a Great Moth!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

And yet another cliffhanger. A bit later than I expected. Here's your chapter, folks! Mothra battle coming right up!


	17. Dark Evolution

Okay, this part of the anime actually made me chuckle. Sort of. The part where the Great Moth comes out of the cocoon, just listen to that music. It's AWESOME.

A few slight changes here and there in this chapter, but nothing too dramatic. The mothra idea came to me while watching the Yugioh Abridged episode where Yami fights Weevil. Anyway, on to chapter 17! (Wow, have I really written that many chapters already?!)

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Seventeen: Dark Evolution**

* * *

To everyone's horror, Yugi's words rung true. The enormous insect before them was indeed a Great Moth, and it wasn't hard to discern either: it was one of Weevil Underwood's favorites. Now that he was facing it in person, he knew for sure that he couldn't afford to lose. The stakes were now much higher than when he had fought in Duelist Kingdom. There were no star chips or cards in this game; it was a battle with real pain and high stakes. Knowing this, the boy sunk within his soul room and allowed Yami to seize control.

"Everyone get ready!" Yami cried. Red-Eyes Black Dragon promptly appeared, followed by Seiyaryu and Thunder Kid. Grinning, Yami launched Dark Magician, fusing it with his duel armor as the monster prepared an attack. "Everyone attack simultaneously!"

They did. In a blast of thunder, dark flame, razor flame and dark magic, the moth vanished within an explosion of smoke. Tristan threw a fist in the air. "Victory is ours!"

Yami, however, wasn't so sure. _None of our other victories came quite this easily,_ he said, a suspicion in his voice. _Besides, I remember seeing the Great Moth when we were up against Weevil in Duelist Kingdom, and it looked exactly like this when we fought it._

_I know,_ Yugi replied, _And we had managed to stop it before it evolved completely._

_That's precisely what I mean,_ Yami stated, glaring at the smoke before them and holding the Dark Warrior staff in front of him cautiously. Just as he feared, the moth emerged from the dust cloud, and this time its wings were a beautiful and deadly pattern of azure and violet.

"Great," Joey groaned sarcastically. "Looks like Mothra's back for more." With a command, Red-Eyes Black Dragon sent a burst of chaotic flame to the gigantic insect, and Seiyaryu did the same. Unfortunately for the dragons, the Great Moth immediately shielded itself, causing the flames to be sent right back to their users, causing Joey and Tea to stagger.

"Take cover!" Yami cried. "It's too strong!"

Promptly, the moth flapped its wings, sending a powerful burst of wind at Yami, whom tumbled through the air and smashed into the brick wall behind him before falling and crashing to the ground. His friends cried out for his safety, and the moth began to flap somewhat idly around the room. Wincing in pain, Yami dragged his gaze upward. The moth was so powerful…there was little hope of defeating it, let alone getting past it.

_It can't end like this!_ Yugi cried. _Not after we got this far!_

_Well, what do you suggest?_ Yami replied a bit more grudgingly than he intended. Luckily, Yugi took no offense.

_I don't really have a plan,_ Yugi said a bit disappointedly, _But I'm going to take a shot in the dark here and say that this might have something to do with that missing apple._

The spirit's eyes lit up with an idea. _That's it!_ Ignoring his counterpart's confused expression; Yami leapt up with renewed vigor and soared for the top of one of the pillars. Noting an offender again, the Great Moth followed closely, screeching in a furious protest. Landing on the top of the pillar, Yami reached for the apple as the great insect closed in.

Joey's eyes widened as the moth readied an attack. "Yugi! Watch out!"

There was a brief moment of stillness, as though time had slowed. The glow from the center pedestal seemed to dim for the briefest of moments before it fired up brilliantly. As it faded, Yugi was seen standing alone on the pillar while another figure held a staff at ready. The Great Moth staggered in midair before a blast of magic sent it careening into the wall. The figure paused, and it soon became clear to the other four duelists who it was.

"It's Yugi," Tea began. "…isn't it?"

Joey nodded. "That's him alright. Looks like he got a new get-up, though."

Solomon didn't take long to catch on. "I'd recognize that armor anywhere!" He cried. "It's the Magician of Black Chaos!"

With another glimmer of golden light, the new monster vanished once more, and once more Yugi had merged with his Magician, and this time was more powerful than ever. Joey gave a grin when he saw it. "He looks cooler, too," he thought aloud.

Yami apparently heard him, and smirked. "Your time is up, Great Moth," he said cleverly, pointing his staff at the beast tauntingly before leaping and tearing through the air toward it. The giant insect sent a powerful whirlwind his way, but it passed by and Yami was left unscathed. With his staff pointing forward like a jousting lance, he raced at the moth and slashed it as he passed. With the opposition stunned, Yami spun on the spot and blasted the moth with a swarm of azure lightning, followed by a darkening sphere that encased it and crushed it from within, ripping its existence from it in a matter of moments.

With the moth gone, Yami gingerly flew toward the third pedestal and took the apple from it, landing before his friends whom stared in awe. "I take it you found out the riddle?" Tristan asked nervously.

Yami nodded, and quickly explained. "Yes. When we first came here, there were three apples on the pedestals, and the caterpillar was also here. After we escaped the maze, there were only two apples, and instead of the caterpillar, there was instead a Great Moth."

"So the two were connected?" Tea asked.

"Precisely," Yami replied. "The riddle only mentioned a single apple, but there were three. Each of the apples on the pillars were the same, but each had a purpose. The first was consumed by the caterpillar, causing it to evolve into the Great Moth. If I ate the second, my strength would grow as well. That would leave only a single apple left."

"So we have to offer up that apple to clear the test," Joey finished. "I get it now."

"Then what're we standing here for?" Tristan responded, grinning.

After the group had recalled their capsule monsters and Yami removed his duel armor, the spirit swapped with Yugi, whom led the group up the stairs past the pillars (it took a short while to get Tea past the leftover cocoon; after the bout with the gigantic spider in the maze she didn't particularly care to go near anything insect-related again).

There was no light in the chamber save for the apple that Yugi was carrying, but fortunately the apple was plenty of light for them in the small passageway. Once up the stairs, a small, golden altar was seen, and Yugi nervously stepped forward. Swallowing nervously and placing the apple on the platform, he stepped back and looked on silently. The apple promptly vanished, and in its place another set of stairs appeared, and a familiar-looking doorway opened at the end of them.

Tea shot a look at her amulet. Sure enough, the fourth stone had illuminated. "Four down and one to go," she said, smiling.

"This is it!" Joey cried in anticipation. "One more and we're home free!"

"And then I can eat all the melons I want without them running off on me," Tristan muttered sadly under his breath.

_Should we remind him that it wasn't even a melon to begin with?_ Yami suggested, lifting an eyebrow at his friend's antics.

Yugi laughed aloud, gaining him a few stares from his friends as they started up the stairs. _Nah, I don't think so._

**To be continued…**

* * *

I know this chapter is a bit shorter, but the next ones I'll do my best to lengthen. Fiendish Five, coming right up!


	18. The Final Trial Begins

Could someone help me identify all the monsters that pop up in this trial? I'm having a bit of trouble with some of them. Thanks.

Edit June 22 2008 for a typo fix

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Eighteen: The Final Trial Begins**

* * *

The group found themselves in a familiar-looking forest, sitting around a familiar-looking campfire. Night had fallen, and though the group felt rested, they still felt on edge. Yugi, however, still felt a bit of strain from using the duel armor, but fortunately for him Joey had saved some of the fruit from their previous trial, which he quickly handed to Yugi as well as everyone else.

After a moment of silence, Yugi took in the area silently. "Looks like we ended up in the same place we started out in," he muttered.

"At least it's not up on a mountain like where I was," Joey retorted. "I don't feel like messing with any evil turkeys anytime soon…"

Solomon grinned, folding his arms. "The way I see it, we've come full circle so to speak. If this is the place we entered from it would make sense that this is where the exit is as well."

"A wise deduction."

The group was caught completely off guard as a familiar cloaked stranger approached them from up the path, gazing calmly at them. His stride was cautious as he neared the group, his gaze especially fixated on Yugi, whom blinked in wonder. "Even so," the stranger continued, "There is still a long way you must go before you may return home. Your fifth and final trial will prove to be the most challenging of-"

"I don't _care_ how tough it is!" Joey protested angrily, standing and clenching a fist. "What makes you think we trust you? You've been stalking us this entire time and you haven't even bothered to identify yourself, let alone help us! For all we know, you're the one trying to get us killed over and over!"

"Calm down, Joey!" Yugi cried. "Quit overreacting!"

"No," the man replied. "Your friend is right." With a slight hesitation, or perhaps waiting for everyone's attention, the man bowed politely. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you properly. My name is King Alexandros the Third of Macedonia."

"Alexander the Great?!" Tea exclaimed.

"Yes," the man replied. "I take it you've heard of me. What do your people say about my life?"

"Only that you almost single-handedly took over the planet," Tea replied, eyes still wide.

To their slight surprise, Alexander looked away, smiling bitterly as though his accomplishment was a mistake rather than a fortune. "I see…"

"Wait a minute," Yugi said. "If you were so busy conquering the world, what are you doing _here_?"

In an answer, Alexander simply lifted his arms, pulling aside his cloak to reveal a suit of familiar looking golden armor as well as a similarly familiar belt and armlet. The group gawked in awe as they recognized a capsule belt, a capsule cannon armlet, and duel armor not unlike the type Yugi wore. "I was playing this game the same way you are right now," he responded. "I can tell you my story if you wish it. There is time."

The group agreed, and Alexander sat by their fire, beginning his tale. "It began two millennia ago. One by one, various nations fell at my feet. Greece, Egypt, Persia, the list goes on. It was thanks to a good luck charm that I found that I was so successful."

Yugi cocked a suspicious eyebrow and Yami appeared next to him. "What sort of charm?" he asked

"One very similar to the one you wear," Alexander replied. "But it came with a price. Although it brought me many triumphs, my mind was clouded, and before long I lost the loyalty of my men."

_That sounds vaguely familiar,_ Yami said. Yugi gave a mental nod in reply.

"I was determined to finish what I started no matter what the cost," Alexander continued, narrowing his eyes. "But as I did, a man appeared before me, and he knew that I sought ultimate power, and he questioned my worth of it. I insisted that I was deserving, and he replied that even if I was I had to prove it, and he led me to this place. His final words still echo in my mind today…_Only a true king can ever hope to pass these trials._"

"I guess you didn't make the cut?" Joey asked, promptly receiving a reprimanding jab in the ribs from Tristan following his comment.

Alexander shook his head in reply. "My lust for power was my downfall. I'm sure you know what happened later on."

Tea took on a strange look of pity that was not out of place on her visage, but still a rare sight. "Your attack on India failed, and most people say that you were so emotionally devastated from the loss, well…" She paused to find the right words, but her expression said it all as she stared at the ground solemnly. Reading it from a textbook was one thing, but reciting what happened in front of the actual person was completely different.

"That's correct," Alexander replied, standing. "I failed and lost everything, but the fault for that was my own. Because of this, I remain trapped here. But now, it is your turn to prove your worth." For a moment, his eyes flickered toward Yugi, whom remained silent until Alexander held his hand before him, summoning a papyrus scroll. "This is the fifth and final trial, and is the most difficult of them all:

_Slay them all, if you dare_

_Earth, sky, fire, water and air_

Yugi's aversion to such violence was enough permission for Yami to seize control. Even so, he still muttered his thoughts privately to Yugi. _Slay them all…?_

_I don't like this,_ Yugi replied. _And it's not just because I don't like violence…_

Quickly putting away the scroll, Alexander turned to Solomon. "Do you have any capsule monsters with you, Doctor Mutou?"

Initially surprised by how the man knew his name, Solomon shook his head. "I haven't had any since the very first one. Summoned Skull was destroyed before we even got started and I haven't found any since."

Nodding, Alexander plucked a capsule from his belt and handed it to the man. "Take this one, then. I entrust it to you."

Since the capsule technically wasn't Solomon's, he didn't know right away which one it was. Reluctantly accepting it, he cast a curious glance to the man. "What's inside?"

"An ally you'll be very familiar with; you'll need it to pass this trial." With that, Alexander turned away. "Come with me. I shall show you where the next challenge takes place."

* * *

The group entered a town that Alexander claimed was the Village of the Divine Dragon. Beyond that, he did not give any advice to them. When Joey inquired more, Alexander simply stated that he would be breaking the rules if he revealed more.

The village itself was an odd and eerie grayscale tone, even the flames. As they progressed through the main street past the town square, in which sat a curious dragon-shaped statue bearing an old, rusted sword on an altar. Near the back of the village was a gathering of people. Beyond that was an enormous cliff wall with a gigantic tablet, on which was a smeared and decaying image of an indiscernible creature. Between it and a platform was a large chasm, and around the platform was a large gathering of people.

As they arrived, they noticed a young, brunette girl wearing an elegant dress emerging from near the crowd, walking solemnly down the pathway toward the platform, where a bald and robed man awaited her with a stern and sad look on his face.

"I have a strong feeling that passing this trial has something to do with saving her," Yami said.

The girl approached the platform and the villagers looked on in silence. The man, whom appeared to be the village elder, spoke. "Are you prepared to offer your soul so that the Divine One may continue to protect our people?"

Joey's eyes widened. "Poor kid," he said quietly, sounding slightly out of character of himself.

_I won't let this happen,_ Yugi said. _Yami…we have to…_

_Right._

The group stepped forward. As they did, the area began to fade from grayscale to reveal the colors of the village. The elder quickly caught notice of the newcomers, and eyed them with a strong suspicion. "State your business, foreigners," he said calmly yet sternly. "We are in the midst of performing a sacred ceremony!"

"A ceremony that we're going to stop before anyone gets hurt," Joey replied with an unusual seriousness.

"Thank you," the girl said, knowing whom they were referring to, "But I'm fine."

"I'm all too familiar with people having their souls taken," Yami said, strongly resisting the urge to glance at his grandfather, "And I'm not about to let it happen again, no matter what the cost."

"Who do you think you are?" The elder demanded. "And why are you here?"

"We're on a mission to slay a few monsters," Tristan said, earning a glare from Tea for his bluntness.

Strangely, however, numerous whispers erupted from the crowd. The villagers gazed about, a sudden gleam of hope on their faces. The elder looked especially surprised, and the girl's eyes widened. Yami, after surveying the crowd, turned toward the elder again. "I take it you were expecting us?"

"Yes," The elder replied. "This region was once dominated by five dragons, known as the Fiendish Five. They were banished by the Divine White Dragon, whom promised to protect us until the legendary warriors arrived. The Divine One has a limited energy source, however, so it has been our duty to feed it with the power it needs…human souls. This girl, Maki, volunteered for the sacrifice."

"Tell us where these Fiendish Five reside," Yami said strictly, "And we will make sure that they never threaten this settlement or your people ever again."

"Very well." The elder glanced to the sky briefly, offering a brief prayer to the gods before he continue. "They each dwell in five nearby locations: the Whirlwind Forest, the Bottomless Spring, the Cavern of No Return, Meteor Mountain, and the most dangerous, the Great Molten Castle." He then turned away from them, as though looking upon them would bring him pain. "You have until sunrise to slay them, but should you fail a sacrifice will be required."

"No _sacrifice_ will be made as long as we are here." Yami said. Then, his gaze softening (but still stern to anyone whom didn't know him well), he placed his hands on Maki's shoulders and knelt down to her eye level. "Just put your faith in us, Maki, and we will make sure that peace is restored to your village."

Maki smiled warmly. "Thank you, sir. I am forever in your debt."

The elder nodded. "Maki, please show them to the Town Square."

The girl bowed politely and began to walk. "Please come this way, warriors."

* * *

The Town Square was dark as before, and the enormous dragon-esque statue did not help to dispel the foreboding feeling. "Are you really the warriors of the prophecy?" Maki asked on the way there.

Yami shook his head. "Perhaps we are. All we know for certain is that this is our final test."

"Test?"

"It's a long story," Yami replied, grinning. Maki dismissed the issue shortly.

As they approached the dragon statue, the group quickly took notice of the abused sword on the altar. It was elegantly made, and would have been a beautiful work of craftsmanship had it not been for the rust and grime that covered it. "My people call this the Sword of Divinity," Maki explained. "If the legend is true, it is the only thing capable of slaying the fiendish five, but only the legendary warriors can remove it from the altar."

_Sounds simple enough,_ Yugi said. _But I bet there's more to it…_

_Won't know unless we try it,_ Yami replied, glancing around before stepping up to the altar and grabbing the sword. He began to pull, but the sword simply wouldn't budge. As hard as he tried, it was nigh impossible. _We might as well be trying to get blood from a stone,_ he grumbled, annoyed.

"The legend also states," Maki added, "That 'when a great power descends from the sky, the sacred sword will rise.'"

"Another riddle?" Joey groaned, sulking. "I can't stand these things…"

"Sword or not," Alexander began, "You must hurry and find the Fiendish Five. If they reach this town, their power will grow and they will be practically unstoppable."

"Then there's no time to lose," Yami said. "Let's go!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

Maki, the girl's name, is also the name of Tea's Japanese voice actress for the _Duel Monsters_ anime. I would have used Yumi from the first season but it sounded too much like Yugi's own name.


	19. The Fiendish Five Emerge

Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction: Now with more Kuriboh. Buy some today!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Nineteen: The Fiendish Five Emerge**

* * *

The group decided to split up to conquer the dragons more quickly. Joey wound up heading to the Whirlwind forest, Tea was off to the Cavern of No Return, Tristan headed for Meteor Mountain, and Solomon made his way to the Bottomless Spring. Since the Great Molten Castle was the most dangerous, Yugi and Yami decided to go there.

_At least we've got stepping stones,_ Yugi remarked in amusement as Yami nimbly bounced from one pillar to the next. _Why not call out a capsule monster?_

_We don't know what we'll be up against,_ Yami replied, jumping to another pillar. At his words, he felt a pulsing near his belt. Glancing down, he noticed a familiar capsule glowing. _Where have I seen this before?_

_Looks like Kuriboh wants to show us something again…_

Nodding in agreement, Yami called out Kuriboh, whom flew in circles around his master happily before letting out a purr and flying past some of the pillars. Yami quickly followed the little creature before it paused on one of the pillars in particular, bouncing up and down excitedly next to an egg-shaped rock.

_He led us to another Capsule Stone!_ Yugi exclaimed. _Great job, Kuriboh!_

_We could always use some extra help._ Grinning, Yami leapt near Kuriboh's location and placed his hand firmly on the capsule next to it. As the azure light shone forth, it took the form of a warrior not unfamiliar to Yami. The warrior placed its shield and sword at ease as it looked upon its new master.

"Black Luster Soldier," Yami observed. "Nice work, Kuriboh!"

The little furball squealed happily as the newly-found capsule monster bowed respectfully. Yami gave a friendly pat on the head to Kuriboh to thank him and turned back to the Soldier. "We've got a dragon to slay."

* * *

_I knew splitting up was a bad idea,_ Joey groaned as he pushed himself against the wind. The trees surprisingly stood up to the weather's assault, though every now and then a leaf would blow past him. The grass moved elegantly in waves as the gusts passed over each and every single blade. Joey knew, however, that even though the scene could be beautiful, the creatures nearby were deadly.

As he peeked behind the tree, he saw a tornado spinning furiously before him. As though sensing his presence, it split apart, revealing an enormous green dragon flying above him, various crystals sprouting from its legs.

Joey gulped nervously. _Here goes nothing,_ He said. Quickly, he put on a game face and summoned forth his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "Alright! Let's pop this windbag!"

Promptly, the enemy dragon sent forth a burst of wind. While Joey and his own dragon were momentarily hindered, Red-Eyes immediately sent a burst of dark flame into the beast, sending it careening backward as it set aflame. It smashed into the ground and did not move.

"Take that!" Joey cried, grinning in victory. _Who knew this could be so easy…_

* * *

Tea knew she wasn't really the right material to act the part of the heroine, but she entered the cavern with decent enough confidence, a torch in hand. "Any dragons out there?" She called nervously.

It didn't take long for one to appear. A large, serpentine dragon crept from the dark depths of the cavern, hissing angrily. Its scales glowered with a dark azure light, and its ebony claws were poised and ready to rip through anything that threatened it. Its blood red eyes stood out the most in the darkness, glowing as they locked onto Tea.

_About time,_ the girl said triumphantly as she summoned her Seiyaryu. Instantly the serpent lashed forward, but Seitaryu's size allowed it to move far more quickly and thus it was at an enormous advantage. After a strong bite to the enemy's throat, Seiyaryu backed off and sent a blast of azure razor-flame at the enemy, engulfing it and causing it to cry out in anguish.

* * *

Tristan barely dodged a rock as it slammed into the ground next to him. He ran quickly, avoiding the collisions with the flying stones. Matters quickly worsened when the ground itself rumbled, and a rock rose from the ground. It didn't take long for Tristan to realize, however, that it was not a giant boulder but a dragon.

_Why am I not surprised,_ he said a bit disappointedly. Its body seemed to be made of a comet, and its head and legs poked out of it much like a turtle would. Its wings were a bit small for its size (and weight), but they were powerful enough to propel the dragon into the air. Deciding not to stick around and marvel the sight, Tristan called forward his Thunder Dragon.

Upon noting an opposition, the reptilian boulder sent meteors toward Tristan. Thunder Dragon quickly disposed of them with a blast of lightning before Tristan mounted the beast and cried out for an attack. With great dexterity, Thunder Dragon launched a beam of electricity, slamming it into the boulder-esque dragon.

"Great job!" Tristan said. "We beat it!" _I hope…_

* * *

The Bottomless Spring was peaceful enough, but Solomon knew better than that. Calling out, his voice echoed throughout the lake's area. As the water rippled, he grinned. "Looks like I've got company," he said casually.

His statement was quickly confirmed when the water in the lake shot up like a geyser. Before him was an enormous dragon, cloaked in deep blue scales and adorned with large wings and gills to match. As the water sprayed down, Solomon quickly reached for his new capsule and called it forward. "You think you're tough?" He taunted. "You should meet my new friend!"

On cue, the light formed another airborne reptile, this one golden and lined with crimson at the joints. A horn pointed forward on its nose, and long tail was poised for lashing any opponent like a whip.

_Wow,_ Solomon remarked privately. _Curse of Dragon…and I was just bluffing._

Both monsters roared furiously at each other, but Solomon's own companion was the first to strike. With a whip of its tail, Curse of Dragon sent its adversary crashing from the sky and into the ground before adding a burst of flame to the attack. The fiend screeched in pain as the flames consumed it.

* * *

The lava boiled furiously and shot into the air as the dragon arose from its slumber. Its orange scales glimmered as the magma dripped off thickly, and the beast's emerald eyes locked onto Yami. Its wings spread wide, then let out a mighty roar just before it sprayed flame toward Yami. Black Luster Soldier promptly brought up its shield to defend, and Kuriboh nimbly flew out of the way of the assault. As the blast of flame ended, Black Luster Soldier leapt from pillar to pillar before striking the field clean across the chest, knocking it down and sending it crashing into the lava.

_Awfully simple,_ Yami commented. _Alexander said that this would be a dangerous trial, but the dragon went down in a single hit._

_He did,_ Yugi replied. _This is far from over._

Yami began to turn and walk away when Kuriboh flew in front of him, stopping him in his tracks and whimpering frantically. Cocking a curious eyebrow, Yami paused. "What's wrong?"

_Yami! Look!_

The spirit spun around just in time to see the dragon rise from the magma once more, once again spitting fire at the Black Luster Soldier before soaring away. _What's going on?!_ Yami cried. _I thought I already defeated it!_

_It's heading for the village!_ Yugi shouted frantically. _Hurry!_

Recalling Black Luster Soldier and Kuriboh, Yami immediately fused with his Magician of Black Chaos and gave chase to the great beast. It wasn't long before it turned to fire another blast of flames at him, but Yami skillfully shielded himself. As he prepared another attack of his own, however, he was tossed through the air by a strong gust of wind. _Another dragon!?_

"Yugi!" Joey cried, riding atop his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "You okay?"

"I would be!" Yami replied as he shielded himself from another attack. "These things won't stay down!"

Tristan, Tea and Solomon quickly arrived on the scene of battle with their own adversaries and companions. The aerial fight was not turning in their favor, and Yami ended up resorting to protection rather than an offensive as flames, wind, meteors and jets of water all were sent this way and that. _If what Maki says is true, then we have no choice but to get that sword!_

_But how?_ Yugi replied. _We don't know how to remove it, aside from that riddle that the girl gave us._

As Yami blocked a stream of flame once again, he reflected on the facts that he knew. When a great power descends from the sky, the sword will rise. That had to mean that whenever a great power 'descended from the sky,' then the sword could be removed. The only other thing that he knew was that if the dragons reached the village, their power would grow immensely. He simply couldn't fit them together. If the dragons reached the town, they would demolish it, and then they'd never be able to remove the sword.

As the thought passed through his mind, Yami's eyes lit up with an idea. "Everyone, listen!" he cried. "We must lead them back to the village!"

"What are you, nuts?!" Tristan protested.

"Just trust me!" Yami cried, leading the way. Everyone had no choice but to follow him. _This had better work…_

* * *

"They've returned!" Maki cried, pointing to the sky where Yami's armored form approached. As he neared, however, her smile faded. His expression was not that of victory.

"Take cover," Yami said as he landed and removed the armor of Black Chaos. "You're about to receive some unwelcome guests."

On cue, nine azure lights appeared in the sky. Four were those of Yugi's companions' dragons. The other five were that of the Fiendish Five. The villagers cried out, fleeing for their lives. The only ones remaining were Maki, the village elder, and Alexander. The girl clung fearfully to Alexander's cape as her eyes widened in fear.

"Why have you done this?" Alexander demanded as Yami walked up to the altar near the stone. "Bringing them here has made them more powerful than ever!"

Yami turned his head slightly and grinned. "That's the point," he replied. Plucking a capsule from his belt, he fired it into the air. His armor began to glow brightly as the Black Luster soldier vanished, its armor reappearing around Yami instead, the shield covering his armlet and a sword in his hand.

Quickly setting the sword to the side, Yami placed his hands on the old and disused sword on the altar. As he did, the rust and grime vanished, revealing the blade's true beauty and power. "When a great power descends from the sky," He recited, "The sacred sword will rise. To put it simply, the dragons need to be here for the sword to function." With that, Yami raised the sword into the air, and the azure glows around each of the dragons flowed in steady streams of light into the sword's blade, lengthening it and causing it to glow with brilliance. When the last trace of the empowering glow went to the sword, Yami lunged forth, and in a single swing, the Fiendish Five fell from the sky and crashed into the ground. Yami landed on the ground from his great leap and the glow of the blade vanished.

The crowd cheered loudly, and Maki approached Yami without delay. "Thank you, sir!" She said. "I am forever in your debt!"

"Hey, guys!" Joey said to his friends. "We just cleared the final challenge! We can go home now!"

Tea did not join the festivities. "Not yet," she said, looking at her pendant with a face full of worry. "The fifth stone didn't light up."

On cue, a low snarl erupted from the dragons nearby. They began to move, slowly yet surely, and stood, their eyes glowing with hatred. They then leapt into the air, becoming beams of light not unlike the ones that the duelists had seen emerge from the capsule stones. These, however, did not go to them. Instead, they merged together, reforming into an enormous and terrible beast: a dragon with five heads.

"Mythic Dragon!" Solomon cried. "But how!?"

"Oldest rule in the book in these kinds of games," Tristan groaned. "No explosion, the fight keeps going…"

_He's not far off from the truth,_ Yami said, _The previous state of this was just the prelude. The real fight begins now.  
_

**To be continued…**

* * *

I kept Grandpa's line from the movie. Way to go for a good bluff, old man! n.n Also, the reference that Tristan gives is also from Legend of Zelda. Even boss monsters explode when defeated in those games. Chapter 20 is on its way!


	20. Divine Warrior Cometh

And now Yugi shall get his scene. Story rating kicked up to T for some violence.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty: Divine Warrior Cometh  
**

* * *

The Mythic Dragon stood tall above Yami, whom stepped back nervously as it reared all five of its heads and roared angrily. The villagers fled the scene, one of them crying out as he passed by Yami. "Run, you fool!"

Yami remained still. As the protesting villager once again fled, he fell, and the Mythic Dragon's flame head prepared a strike.

"Red-Eyes! Attack!"

On cue, a burst of dark flame diverted the beast's attention, and it thrust its head at the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, knocking it clean out of the air and causing it to crash to the ground. Joey was thrown into the air and tumbled to a stop as he hit the stone below him. Yami rushed to his side immediately. "Joey! Are you alright?!"

"Hopefully," Came the reply. "Any idea how to beat this thing, gramps?"

"Somewhat," Solomon shouted back from his perch atop Curse of Dragon. "In both the board game and in duel monsters, there's a five-headed dragon that can only be destroyed by creatures of light!"

"Thanks for the advanced warning," the blonde grumbled.

"It's the only shot at beating it though," Yami said. "Tristan, attack with your Thunder Dragon. Tea, you use your Seiyaryu and your Dark Witch!"

Tea nodded, calling forward her Dark Witch to add to the battalion. In a blur of light, Thunder Dragon let forth a blast of electricity. Seiyaryu backed away momentarily to let loose an azure inferno, and Dark Witch's staff lit up as she slashed across the creature's chest. Adding to the assault, Tristan's Thunder Dragon coiled around one of the five heads, its very body lighting up with a thunderous force. Before the attack could do much damage, however, the beast clamped the dragon in its jaws and threw it aside, causing it to collide with Seiyaryu as both Tristan and Tea hit the ground with a loud crash.

_This isn't working,_ Yami said, brandishing the sword. _But maybe this will!_ With another leap, the sword glowed with a powerful azure power and lengthened. With a single strike, Yami tore it through the creature's torso, creating a large red scar. Grinning in triumph, he backed away as the villagers and other duelists cheered.

But just before the celebration could continue, the wound healed. Yami froze in terror. _This creature is practically immortal! There has to be a way to defeat it, otherwise we'll never pass this test…_

From the back of his mind, a familiar and meek voice spoke up. _Yami, let me try._

The spirit was shocked by Yugi's proposal and froze on the spot. _But if you get hurt…_

_You're the darkness in my heart, right?_ Yugi said, not about to let go of his decision._ That makes me the light half. Maybe if I try attacking it it'll work._

_Yugi, I can't risk it! Remember what happened in the duel with Pegasus? Besides, you hate violence!_

_Please, Yami! We have to try!_

Yami knew that his partner was not about to give up his decision. With a solemn and worried expression, he nodded. _…alright, then. But if you get so much as scratched…_

_I know._

_Be careful, Yugi!_

With a short, golden glow, Yugi was back in control, the sword still in hand and the armor still around him. In a sudden shock of the change, Yugi fell to one knee, the sword stabbed into the ground to stabilize himself while he gathered his composure.

Tea stared blankly. "What's going on?" she asked no one in particular. "Why did he change with Yami?"

Maki was wondering the same thing as she looked on. The fierce and brave Black Luster Warrior had suddenly taken on the look of a meek and innocent boy. The armor and sword did not seem to suit him. What was happening…?

Yugi was gasping for breath, his heart pounding in his ears. The power he felt was incredible; no wonder Yami had such a hard time staying composed when it left him! Even more strength radiated through the sword that he carried, which still glowed brightly. _Yami…is this truly what you feel?_

_Yes,_ the spirit replied.

**Are you prepared, little one?**

Yugi had never heard the voice before, but somehow he knew that it was the voice of Black Luster Soldier. He nodded mentally and smiled. _I'm ready. Let's slay this dragon!_

Taking a deep breath, Yugi raced forward with the sword brandished he leapt with incredible strength and stabbed the sword into the dragon's heart. A moment of stillness followed as Yugi began to drag the sword down the monster's entire torso, ripping a deep scar through the scaled skin. As he landed on the ground, he swept the blade to the side, causing the wound he had created to look like a giant L.

_Impressive,_ Yami commented. _I never would have thought of that._

Yugi let out a weak smile. He generally abhorred violence and fighting, but this time he wanted nothing more than to help not only his friends but also the villagers, be they real beings or not.

But once again, the wound healed itself and the dragon was unscathed. Before anyone could give a reaction, the flame head reared back and began firing an attack. Without hesitation, Yugi raced forward to shield his friends, only to have the blast of flame slam into his back. The pain was amazing; it seared him down to his very bone, and he cried out in anguish.

_Yugi! That's enough!_

"Are you okay?!" Tea cried as she sat up. Yugi had shoved them away before the fire had slammed into him, and though now they were covered in dust they were at least still alive.

"I'll be fine," the boy replied. "This isn't what worries me."

_Let me back in control,_ Yami pleaded, appearing next to his partner. _I can't bear to see you being hurt! If you're lost, you'll never be able to go back home!_

_That doesn't matter._

Yami blinked, doing a double take at Yugi's words. _Doesn't…matter?_ He repeated. _Don't you want to go home?_

Yugi shook his head mentally as he pushed himself off the ground, the armor beginning to take its toll on him. _Don't you get it?_ He said weakly. _The most important thing to me was always protecting my friends. That's what I wished for on the puzzle to begin with. Someone's got to protect them…and these villagers… If all we care about is ourselves, then we'll never survive, let alone go home…_

Yami hung his head, closing his eyes politely. _I understand,_ he said. _But I still cannot allow you to get hurt, or we risk losing you forever, so please…_

_No…I will take care of this._

**Your energy is waning, little one. You cannot hold for long.**

_Even if I can't go on forever, I'll protect them as long as I can._ With that, Yugi turned slightly to his friends. "Everyone…can you please protect these villagers?" He asked weakly. "I'll try to hold this thing off until I can find a way to get rid of it."

Nodding, the other duelists raced for the villagers, standing at ready to call forward any capsule monsters they needed. Meanwhile, Yugi struggled to stand, but only stumbled as a pain surged through his chest. _I don't know how to beat this thing, _he wheezed, _but if I can at least lead it away from here then maybe everyone will be safe…_

Two of the five heads on the great beast launched a stream of colored flame. Yugi quickly put up his shield on instinct, his mind focusing all his strength into blocking the attack. He knew he couldn't hold on much longer, but he had to do all he could if he was going to help these people.

Maki, whom did not stand very far away, watched in horror as the one whom promised to valiantly protect the village with his life was beginning to fall. Wincing as he stumbled again in pain, she turned and raced for the altar behind the village. One of the nearby villagers stared incredulously at her as she fled, but she ignored him. She had to help this man; he was giving her life for her, and she would not allow it to be in vain.

As she reached the altar, she knelt in prayer before the large tablet of the smeared image of the great beast. "Divine one," she began quietly, "Please heed my prayer…"

The sounds of battle grew louder as Maki spoke. Before long, the Mythic Dragon managed to throw Yugi back, and his armor tore off from him, causing his fatigue to reach its limit. Even as it did, the boy still stood, clutching the sword; even without anything to defend himself with he would remain fighting. The villagers, terrified, fled the scene and ran to the altar.

"This stranger has proven that he is the chosen one," Maki continued, knowing that she had to hurry before another spark of life faded into darkness. "And he now wields the sword of divinity. Please aid him in ridding this world of the fiendish five!"

Behind her, the villagers gathered as well and prayed a similar request. The five heads of the Mythic Dragon snarled at Yugi as he began to falter, and they began charging up another attack to destroy him once and for all. Tea and Tristan began to rush forward to protect their friend.

"Please, help him!"

Maki began to sob, her hears flowing down her cheeks as she held her prayer in her heart. As her tears fell, the great depiction of the beast began to glow with a pure white light. A loud and defiant roar shook the entire village as the light embraced the villagers and, most of all, Maki. With a surge of power, a beam of light tore from the tablet and toward the battlefield.

Yugi was at his limit, but he still would not give in. Even without the protection of the Black Luster Armor, he would not go back on his word. His vow, however, betrayed his current condition, as he was unable to stand. He could only watch helplessly as five simultaneous jet-streams of flame rushed toward him. He winced, preparing himself for the pain to come.

_**Enough!**_

At the sound of the voice, a beam of light intercepted the attacks of the Mythic Dragon, deflecting them like a mirror would one's own reflection. The dragon roared as it was smashed with its own attacks, but from surprise and not pain. The light rose to the sky above the defenseless Yugi and slowly took form, roaring as though daring the enemy to attack again. Luckily, it didn't.

_Yami…what is that?_

The light's true form soon became clear. Four legs, each foot armed with viciously sharp talons, and an enormous wing span resembling that of a dragon. A long tail fit for lashing its enemies, and jaws fit with razor-sharp teeth. Most of all were the beautiful blue eyes that gazed fiercely upon any whom saw it. The entire creature was fierce and powerful, but at the same time majestic and beautiful, its divinity apparent through the brilliant and pure light that radiated off of its scales.

_Yugi,_ Yami replied breathlessly, _It's the Blue Eyes White Dragon._

The dragon sent a beam of light down upon Yugi's exhausted form, shielding him from harm, briefly looking down at him as the Mythic Dragon's attention was averted.

_**Are you alright, little one?**_

Yugi attempted to speak aloud, but found words impossible as his energy waned further. All he could do was look up. _I have to protect the village,_ he said mentally, hoping that perhaps the dragon would hear him. _I can't let anyone get hurt…my friends, the townsfolk…no one…_

_You're not strong enough,_ Yami protested. _Even if the beast was near death now, you don't have enough power to finish it!_

The divine being passed its gaze back upward. _**You insist on the protection of others, even at the cost of your own life. Valiant but foolhardy against the Fiendish Five. Even so, do you truly wish to protect them?**_

Yugi did not take long to come to a conclusion. If he did not slay this dragon, then the villagers as well as his friends would be hurt – perhaps even killed – and he could never return home. Maki's soul would have to be sacrificed to drive away the fiend, and his efforts would be in vain. _Yes._

_**Then I shall lend you my power. Come.**_

A silent gasp of surprise escaped from Yugi as he felt himself being lifted into the air, his limbs limp with exhaustion. As the ground became further and further away from him, the light that came from the sky grew brighter. As the exhaustion was finally about to take its toll, a warm and comforting feeling wrapped around him, embracing his tired and weak body and bestowing it with a foreign yet familiar strength. _What…is…_

_**Rest, little one.**_

Upon hearing the words, Yugi could not protest. Just before he fell into a light slumber, he sent a request. _Yami…make sure this ends._

_I will, Yugi._

With that, Yugi gave control to his counterpart, whom also felt the same warmth of the light. He opened his eyes to find himself fused with the great beast, and the Mythic Dragon hissing below him.

Armor of pure light protected every inch of him. Drachen wings spread from his back. In his hand he clutched a beautiful white sword. Every inch of him glowed with a divine radiance, and the power that now flowed within him was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"How…?" The village elder wondered aloud breathlessly. "Did he truly join together with the divine one?"

Yami's gaze narrowed significantly as he brandished his sword, ready to deal the final blow to the fiend before him. The words that spilled forth from his lips were hardly his own, but that of Yugi and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon as well. _**"You have terrorized this village for the last time, Fiendish Five! Prepare to meet your fate!"**_

Not surprisingly, the Mythic Dragon fell for the taunt. All five heads launched a simultaneous attack at Yami, the heat of the flames threatening to consume him. In a single strike of his sword, however, the flames dissipated, a powerful energy crackling along the blade of the divine sword that Yami now wielded. Racing forward, Yami clamped the center head of the great beast shut, silencing its roar before it could emit one. Then, with a great battle cry, he hurled the monster through the air. The Mythic Dragon, completely thrown off balance, shrieked in confusion as it crashed into the stone ground, sending countless stones flying into the air.

There was no time for either friend or foe to marvel the sudden power of the Divine Warrior. Once more brandishing the sword, Yami let out a battle cry as a stream of destructive light burst from the sword itself, engulfing the Mythic Dragon and causing it to flail frantically. Not a single inch of the beast was spared from the assault.

A smoking crater was all that remained of the beast when the light finally dimmed. Behind Yami, the sun began to rise, and the fifth stone on Tea's pendant brightened.

**To be continued…**

* * *

The fifth and final trial is complete! But will Yugi and his friends be able to make it home? Stay tuned!

...I might have gone a bit overboard in this chapter.


	21. A New Enemy

In which the enemy is revealed. Attack of the flying Yugi!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty-One: A New Enemy**

* * *

The Mythic Dragon was gone, and the villagers cheered loudly for their savior. Calmly, Yami lifted his sword into the air victoriously, and the sunlight glistened through it in a most beautiful rainbow.

_**Well done, Pharaoh.**_

Yami smiled. _I owe many thanks to you, Divine One._

_**My time here has come to an end. I must also thank you from releasing me from this curse of mine. How fares the little one?**_

_He only needs some rest,_ Yami replied. _His determination to protect his friends and the people of this village far outweighed his concern for his own safety._

Yami felt the dragon ponder for a moment before answering. _**I must take my leave now, Pharaoh, but remember this: what Yugi did was nothing short of what is admired in a true leader and friend, and therein lies the true power that you will need.**_

With that, Yami landed gently on the ground, and the armor of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon left him, returning to its true drachen form. With a roar, the great divine beast returned to the tablet, and the faded image of it was restored to a crisp and clear depiction of its true self.

With a final farewell to the villagers, the group set off with Alexander leading them back to the forest. As they walked, Yami was taken by surprise by a familiar voice. _Is it over?_

_Yes,_ the spirit replied, blinking. _Are you feeling alright?_

_Never better, actually. _With a nod, the two switched back, and Yugi found himself walking alongside his friends once again. After a moment of silence, he spoke. _What happened while I was out?_

Yami seemed to grin. _Long story short, the Mythic Dragon is gone thanks to you and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon._

_Blue-Eyes…?_ Yugi answered. _Was that really the voice of Blue-Eyes that we heard?_

Yami nodded contemplatively. _Yes. He fused with the Duel Armor and together we were able to take down the fiend. What gets me is the fact that when the dragon left, I didn't get the same energy shock as all the other times that I used the Duel Armor._

_Maybe it left behind some of its power with us?_

"The passageway back home is supposed to be here, right?" Tea asked, jolting Yami from his thoughts. "I don't see so much as a doorknob."

"I know," Alexander said. "You may have passed all five tests, but your adventure is not yet complete."

"But if the trials are finished," Solomon replied, "What else is there to do?"

Alexander narrowed his eyes fiercely. "A single task remains for you. Once you are back in your home world, you must quickly locate a hidden chamber at the very top of the pyramid. Your pendant will be able to open the door there. Inside lies a power that I once craved: the power to rule the world."

Yugi glared at Alexander. "I thought I already told you," he protested fiercely. "I don't want some stupid _power_, I just want to go back home!"

"You _did_ tell me that," Alexander replied darkly as he reached for his mask. "But even if _you_ don't want it, there is someone waiting on the other side who _does_!" With that, he tore his mask off, revealing a familiar blonde-haired and blue-eyed visage gazing sternly back at them.

A collective gasp erupted from the group as they recognized the man's face. Yugi was the first one to speak the man's name after the briefest of surprised moments. "Doctor Brisbane?!"

"Wait a minute," Tea cried in shock. "You said you were Alexander the Great! What's going on?!"

"He _is_ Alexander," Solomon said sternly. "He may bear a strong resemblance to my colleague, but I know for certain that this man and Alex Brisbane are not the same person."

Alexander's gaze softened only slightly. "The words you speak are only partially true, Mutou. This colleague of yours is possessed by my dark half."

"Dark Half?" Yugi echoed nervously. _Yami, where have we heard this before?!_

_He said he found a good luck charm that 'clouded his mind,'_ Yami replied fiercely. _I have no doubt about the fact that it could be a millennium item._

"Yes," Alexander continued. "The moment I placed that charm around my neck, my soul was split in two. I was trapped here while my other half was trapped in that accursed pyramid. When Doctor Mutou and Doctor Brisbane – a direct descendant of mine – entered, my dark half immediately ceased control of Alex. The entire time he was using you to get to this power!"

Solomon's eyes narrowed uncharacteristically. "I get it now," he said. "Your dark half lured each and every one of us into this game so that he could use the key _we_ earned to enter the secret chamber!"

"Precisely," Alex replied. "You must obtain that power before he does, so don't let that pendant out of your sight, Tea!"

Tea nodded, clutching it in her hand tightly. "I won't."

"If I'm not wrong," Joey began, "He'll be waiting for us to get it, acting all innocent like Brisbane would. But if we can find out a way to stop him, he won't stand a chance!"

Alexander nodded. "Right. We need a plan…"

* * *

Several minutes later, the five duelists stood solemnly in a circle, holding hands. According to Alexander, the only thing they needed to do was focus. Their eyes all closed, their thoughts concentrated on an image of the pyramid. A recognizable golden light surrounded them and the wind blew fiercely. A jolt from the ground caught their attention and their eyes shot open. Beneath them was a tiled stone floor, and nearby was a familiar-looking map that spanned the entire floor, and the room they were in was dark.

Joey was, of course, the first to celebrate. "Awright!" He shouted. "We're back!"

"But we're not done yet," Yugi said, looking at himself. He was still wearing his duel armor, and everyone else was still wearing their capsule cannon armlets and capsule belts. Alexander was right: their escapade was far from over. _I don't get it. If the challenge is over and all we have to do is find that power, then how come we still have our capsules?_

_I'm not sure, but it can't be good._

It was not long before another face arrived on the scene. "Doctor Mutou! You're back!"

Alex Brisbane came running into the room, arms outspread and face ridden with a relieved smile. The duelists knew better than to buy this act for a moment, and their eyes narrowed momentarily before playing along with the act. "I'm so glad you're alright!" Brisbane said as he approached them. "I've been worried sick about you since the moment you vanished into that map!"

_He's a dead giveaway,_ Yami remarked privately to Yugi. _If it were really Brisbane, he would have immediately asked about the armlets and duel armor._

_That and the fact that he supposedly didn't see Grandpa disappear,_ Yugi replied, agreeing. _He said that he simply came down here and only found his headband. The only people he saw vanish were me, Joey, Tea and Tristan, and he's not addressing any of us._

"You can stop worrying now," Solomon said, grinning brightly at Brisbane, "Because we're all back!" As he greeted his friend, he began to doubt Alexander's words.

"So," Brisbane proceeded, "Did you find anything?"

Solomon hesitated. "Find…?"

"When you crossed to the other side, did you find anything of interest?" Brisbane asked.

_Utter and complete giveaway,_ Yugi groaned. _Looks like one of his dark half's faults is not being able to hide his intentions._

Solomon, however, was a splendid actor and played along very well. "I might have," he said, rubbing his chin. "Let me think…my mind isn't quite as sharp as it used to be…" He waited a few moments, glancing around as though lost in thought, before finally smiling. "Ah, I remember! Is this what you were thinking about?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the pentagon-shaped amulet that Tea had previously worn.

For a moment, Brisbane's eyes glinted suspiciously, but it left as quickly as it came. "Yes," he said. "That's precisely what I was thinking about…" he began to reach forward, grinning.

Before he could do so much as stroke his fingers across it, a blur of light raced forward, tackling Brisbane and knocking him to the ground. It was none other than the Alexander whom they had met in the game, and now he was finally free. "After all these years I've finally caught up with you!"

"Let go of me!" Brisbane cried. The duelists nearby staggered back slightly as the two wrestled fiercely.

"Your reign of tyranny ends now!" Alexander cried, shoving Brisbane roughly to the floor as he vanished within the man's body. A long moment of silence followed as the man shuddered on the floor in shock.

Yugi hesitated briefly, feeling suspicious. "Doctor Brisbane…?" He began. "Are you feeling alright?"

After a moment, Brisbane sat up, taking a deep breath to calm himself before glancing over at his friends. "I'm fine," He said. "I'm feeling better than I have in a long time." The group cheered silently as he stood, still a bit light on his feet. "I'm more worried about the rest of you. Are you unharmed?"

Yami snorted sarcastically. _Of course we're fine,_ he grumbled. _But Yugi here could have gotten himself seriously hurt._

_I heard that,_ Yugi replied, though both of them still grinned at each other. "We're alright," he said, this time to Brisbane. "A few scratches here and there but otherwise nothing's missing!" _Though some of it should be,_ he thought, sparing a quick glance downward at the Duel Armor, his armlet and his belt.

"That's good to hear," Brisbane said, finally steady. "I was-oh, what's that you have Doctor Mutou?"

Solomon paused. "It's an artifact that I found in the pyramid after I went missing," he said. "It's in very good condition, so I thought we could get a better look at it somewhere else."

"May I see it for a moment?" Brisbane inquired, holding out a hand.

"I don't see why not," Solomon replied, handing the pendant to Brisbane.

It only took a split second for a dark and malevolent glint to reappear in Brisbane's eyes. Yugi gasped. _What?! That's not Brisbane!_

Solomon also realized the fact the instant he saw Brisbane's eyes narrow, but it was too late as the man swiped the pendant from the old man's hand, grinning in an evil triumph. Solomon cried out. "You're still possessed by Alexander's dark half!" he exclaimed.

"Correct!" Brisbane, now revealed to be Alexander, replied, cackling manically. "You see, my peaceful half is also my _foolish_ half! He could _never_ have conquered half the world without me, and now the time has finally come to complete what I started millennia ago!"

"And we're going to put a stop to it!" Yugi protested. "That pendant belongs to us!"

Alexander would not have it. Turning, he fled with a disgusting smirk on his face. No one needed an order to follow him as he raced up the stairs. Their plan had failed, and now Alexander had the key to a powerful and dangerous prize. Yugi gritted his teeth as he bounded up the stairs, for once his short stature granting him the speed he needed.

As they finally approached the top stairway, they looked on with horror as Alexander slipped the pendant into the keyhole of the doorway, causing it to vanish and the door to creak open. He began to step forward.

_Yugi! Get him away from that door!_

Yugi did what he did best. Running forward, he raced to the side and across the wall a ways before leaping off of it toward the possessed body of Brisbane, tackling him to the ground. Unfortunately, with small size came small weight, and Brisbane began to stand. Tristan quickly joined in on the man-pile. "We worked hard for that thing," he demanded, "Now hand it over!"

In silent protest, Alexander flung himself into the doorway, only for the three of them to begin falling into darkness. Luckily for them, Joey and Tea were on the scene in a moment and grabbed the man's ankles before he could fall further. Yugi's Millennium Puzzle clinked quietly against the stone wall they hung next to, the sound echoing about them louder than it should have. They began to pull upward, and Solomon arrived to help in whatever way he could. Alexander, however, would not accept his defeat, and shook himself desperately to free himself from their grip. Instead, however, they fell with him into an endless, dark abyss.

_Yami! What's going on?!_

_I don't know! Just hang on!_

The entire group cried out as they tumbled further and further into the endless space around them before their descent mysteriously slowed to a halt. As they all gazed about wildly in confusion, a light appeared, gradually forming the shape of a person. Yugi recognized him immediately: a dark complexion, creamy white robes and a turban. Azure eyes stared blankly back at him, and a very familiar ankh-shaped key dangled from his neck.

Yugi's eyes widened in surprise as he finally found words. _What's Shadi doing here?_

**To be continued…**

* * *

You thought it was over, didn't you? Well, it's not. Not yet, anyway. Time for one more challenge!


	22. Trial of the True King

Shadi's out of his turban according to Joey.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty-Two: Trial of the True King  
**

* * *

It was enough of a shock that to claim the ultimate prize of the game one had to fall into a starry abyss that strongly reminded Yugi of both the Shadow Realm and outer space. What shocked him the most, however, was the fact that Shadi now stood before them, calm as ever. As he spoke, the calmness in his voice sent chills up Yugi's spine. "You now stand at the threshold of the greatest power known to mankind."

"But all we wanted was to go home!" Yugi protested.

"Then go!" Alexander shot at him. "I've been waiting for this power for two thousand years and now I can finally lay my hands on it!"

"We're the ones that did all the work," Joey dissented, "So whatever's in here belongs to us, pal!"

"Is that so?" Alexander replied. "I see no one told you that I passed these trials just as you did!"

"Wha-?"

"I reached the chamber the same way you did," Alexander snarled, "But the doorway would not open! I was not only robbed of my prize, but my servants had the nerve to tell me that I was not deserving of this power, and our souls were stolen from us all and sealed into the pyramid!"

_Souls being sealed,_ Yami echoed. _Sounds like the Millennium Ring's doing._

"Not only that," the ex-king continued furiously, "But my own soul was split. My _weaker_ half was locked into that accursed game and I remained here. Luckily for me, a distant relative of mine came to rescue me…and all I needed was someone capable of passing those five tests as I had. Luckily for me, you showed up only a few days later…"

"Wait a minute," Yugi said suspiciously. "So all that happened by coincidence?!"

"No," Shadi said, shaking his head. "It was all guided by the hands of fate."

_You were right, Yami,_ Yugi said. _It really was too convenient…for us **and** for him._

"You're out of your mind!" Joey protested furiously. "There's no way Alex deserves this! _We're_ the ones that did all the work!"

"There is only one way to decide which of you is deserving of this game's ultimate prize," Shadi said calmly, his voice suddenly sounding more foreboding than ever as the darkness beneath them cleared away to reveal a mock-city far below them, its streets and buildings empty. "There is one final test that you must both participate in. Alex Brisbane, whom bears the soul of King Alexandros the Third, shall face Yugi Mutou, whom bears the soul of the Great Nameless Pharaoh, in an all-out Capsule Monsters war. Now, _begin!_"

At his words, a rush of gravity pulled the six of them to the ground. Thankfully their landing was soft enough to where they didn't break anything, but Alexander landed nimbly, crouching before his opposition. "This won't take very long," he remarked, smirking. "Soon I'll have what's rightfully mine!"

"So you think," Joey replied, narrowing his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, you're outnumbered!"

"No!" Yugi protested. "I'm doing this alone. I'm not going to let anyone else get hurt because of me!"

Tristan, along with everyone else, turned back to his friend and smiled. "You need to get yourself a new line," he said, smiling. "Sorry, Yugi. You're stuck with us 'til the bitter end."

_He's right,_ Yami said, grinning. _It's getting old and it never works._

Yugi was at loss for words. Even the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was agreeing with them now. _You too, Yami?!_

_I don't have anywhere else to go. Besides, if we've come this far working together, then we can't give that hope up now._

Nodding, the boy straightened his stature. "Then I guess I'm going to need all the help I can get if we're going to take this guy down," he said a bit louder than he intended. "Time to show you how the game is played!" With that, he relinquished control to Yami.

Alexander simply smirked. Behind him appeared the shadows of four people, two on each side of him. He was no longer outnumbered; his royal guard had appeared by his side. To match, a set of Duel Armor appeared on Brisbane's body, along with an armlet and belt with two capsules in it.

_He doesn't have very many monsters,_ Yami remarked. _But I still have a bad feeling about this._

"The rules of this trial are simple," Shadi said, his voice echoing about the entire battlefield. "You may summon any and all capsule monsters you managed to collect on your journey. You lose when they are all destroyed. The victor will then claim the power necessary to rule the world."

"Then let's get started, shall we?" Tristan said, grinning. With a quick and clean swipe of his hand, he loaded and fired all three of his capsules. Tea, Joey, and Solomon followed suit with his only Curse of Dragon. Yami, however, only released three of his own: Magician of Black Chaos, Celtic Guardian, and Black Luster Soldier. All in all, thirteen capsule monsters were called forth.

The opposing side of the field was far more populated. A young-looking man called out four: Garma Sword, Makyura the Destructor, Dark Jeroid and Lekunga. A more muscular man had three: Total Defense Shogun, Manticore of Darkness and Big-Tusked Mammoth. The woman called forward two: Reflect Bounder (much to Joey's despise, as he had faced the creature in Battle City) and Demoness Knight. The oldest of the four also had only two: Firewing Pegasus and Stealth Bird. Alexander followed them all with only one of his two capsules to summon an enormous golden fiend that Yugi immediately recognized as Reshef, the Dark Being.

_Looks like the stage is set,_ Yami said. With a quick prayer to Lady Luck, he activated his duel armor to merge with Black Luster Soldier.

Alexander smirked at his actions. "Two can play at that game, _Pharaoh,_" he mocked. He activated his own duel armor to merge with his own creature, Reshef.

Joey's face fell. "Something that big has to be against the rules," he moaned.

"Apparently it's not," Tea replied, mounting Seiyaryu as Joey, Tristan and Solomon mounted their own dragons.

The battle thus commenced. Yami stuck close with his Magician and Celtic Guardian, but it quickly proved to be too hasty a decision as the enemy monsters surrounded him. Taking his cue, Joey rushed forward, mounted on Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and began to attack, only to be knocked back by Manticore of Darkness. His tumble through the air was quickly halted by Baby Dragon catching him in midair. Behind him, the Manticore followed closely. A blazing inferno from Flame Swordsman quickly took care of it, and as the creature was set aflame, it fell from the air and vanished.

Meanwhile, Tristan had his own trouble with the Big-Tusked Mammoth. While he and Thunder Kid were perched atop Thunder Dragon, the pachyderm was lunging at him continuously, attempting to strike him down with its long trunk. After another dodge, Thunder Dragon sent a burst of thunder toward the great beast. The Mammoth, unaffected by the blast, lunged with its tusks, only to fall to the ground and be destroyed by an abnormally large pothole in the ground. Shovel Crusher emerged from the mess looking highly victorious. Tristan threw a triumphant fist into the air and Thunder Kid cheered right alongside him.

* * *

Across the battlefield, Tea gripped tightly to Seiyaryu as the Demoness Knight created copy images of itself in a perfect circle. Tea immediately ordered an attack, and Seiyaryu blasted one of them with a stream of blue flame. When it cleared, however, they did not even flinch, but sent violet streams of dark energy right toward the rose-colored dragon. Barely managing to dodge, Tea froze, astounded. _Wait a minute…if it didn't even hit them, then it's just an illusion! If we hit the real one…_

She turned toward her other capsule monster. "Dark Witch! Let's get some light in here!"

On command, the witch lifted her staff into the air, shining a bright light to both stun and blind the Demoness Knight and her copies. Tea focused, squinting through the light. _If they're all illusions, _She thought, _Only the real one will cast a shadow._ It didn't take her long to spot it, and she smirked. "Will the real demon please _blow up!_" A burst of Razor Fire Blast disposed of the demon as well as her copy images.

* * *

While Tea struck down the demoness, Solomon was having trouble of his own. With his only monster, Curse of Dragon, he was up against Stealth Bird. His first reaction was a burst of flame, but the bird vanished before he could even land the blow. A sound caught his attention from behind and he managed to pull Curse of Dragon out of the way just as the blast soared past him and crashed into the ground.

"So you want to play games, eh?" Solomon taunted. He knew he couldn't see as well as he used to, however, and that fact coupled with the reality of the bird being invisible was not making anything easier for him. Instead, he commanded Curse of Dragon to create a ring of flame around itself. As expected, the heat waves rose into the air, displacing themselves around a foreign shape high in the air.

Solomon smirked. "Tag. You're it." Curse of Dragon shot another blast of fire at the beast, disposing of it.

* * *

Alexander observed the battle from afar. "You fools were never of any use to me," he said, grinning and reaching for the only other capsule in his belt. With a blast of energy, a stream of light shot across the sky.

Yami prepared a strike against Lekunga, but found his sword slicing thin air. It didn't take him long to find out where the monster went, and he was shocked to see that the light beams of both the enemy monsters and the enemy _teammates_ forming a single shape, forming into an enormous gray monster with six arms, its face resting on a hand-like shape. Its wings flung back and its long tail swept slowly back and forth as its blood-red eyes gazed hungrily upon the battlefield, awaiting a victim.

_I recognize that thing,_ Yami whispered in shock. _It's the monster from our nightmares, the Seven-Armed Fiend!_

**To be continued…**

* * *

I apologize if that chapter was a bit lacking. The next one shall be better, I promise.


	23. Wrath of Seven Arms

Insert really silly comment here.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty-Three: Wrath of Seven Arms**

* * *

Facing multiple opponents was hard enough for the group to even think about. Handling the Seven-Armed Fiend, however, was another story altogethgazed in horror. They had seen this beast in their nightmares, and now here it was, standing before them. What's worse was it was even more intimidating in person.

"Any idea how to handle this, Mister Mutou?" Tea asked, clutching tightly to Seiyaryu's horns.

For the first time, Solomon was at a loss. "In the game it's practically indestructible; each of its arms has its own special ability."

"If we've learned anything from this game," Joey protested, "Everything has its weakness. Besides, a wise man once said…_The bigger they are, the harder they fall!_" With that, he charged forward on Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Before Joey could reach the monster, however, its gaze swept in the blonde's direction, and the closest of its six arms flew through the air and swatted the dragon like a fly, causing both Joey and his companion to slam into the ground. Yugi raced in his friend's direction to help him, but apparently he was well enough to shout an angry remark at the fiend for knocking him down.

"Doctor Mutou was right, fool," Alexander sneered. "And I believe I shall introduce you to my Seven-Armed Fiend's abilities, since you apparently don't know about them for yourself. Prepare yourselves for _Arm of the Skulls!_"

The giant reached out with one of its arms, shooting out a beam of ruby-red light. Within it appeared hoards of skeletons clad in armor and armed with wickedly curved swords. Solomon hastily attacked them courtesy of Dragon Flame, but in a brilliant and impure white light the undead denizens emerged unharmed and struck him out of the sky.

Another battle order was sent from Alexander, though the duelists barely heard his voice over the clash of steel and the burst of flames. Numerous hands burst from the ground, grabbing onto Tea's Seiyaryu and dragging it to the ground where it landed with a loud smash. Tristan quickly dismounted Thunder Dragon before he could be hit by any further assault that Alexander might have had planned.

"We have no choice but to fight this thing from the ground," Solomon said grimly, "But there are too many of those skeleton soldiers…"

And so it commenced. Thunder Kid, Dark Witch, and Flame Swordsman were in the fray at once. They were quickly joined by Curse of Dragon and Shovel Crusher. "Yugi!" Joey called. "We'll handle these freaks; you take down the big guy!"

_Sounds like a plan to me!_ Yugi said. _Let's go!_

Yami raced forward, his sword brandished as he leapt into the air and began to strike with the blade, but before he could even scratch the behemoth he found himself flung to the ground, his sword landing next to him as he dropped it during the fall. _Yami! _Yugi cried. _ Are you alright?_

_I will be as soon as I find out which brick wall I just slammed into,_ the spirit grumbled.

Beyond the fiend, they heard Alexander cackling. "I've _played_ with you for long enough," he sneered. "It's time to put you out of your misery. Prepare yourselves for _Arm of Destruction!_" On command, another of the beast's arms lifted, a sphere of white-hot cackling energy appearing in the palm of its hand.

Tea's eyes widened as she realized precisely what Alexander was doing. "Guys…he's aiming at Mister Mutou!"

Yami's eyes narrowed in absolute rage. "You wouldn't _dare_ lay a _finger _on him!" He roared in a fury so strong even Yugi shrank back in fear. His fist tightened around the hilt of his blade to where his knuckles whitened.

The beam fired, slamming into the spot where Solomon once stood, and an enormous explosion went off, cloaking the entire area in smoke. It seemed like an eternity before it finally cleared as everyone waited in anticipation for the old man's safety, but when the field became clear again it was not Solomon whom was hit, but three other beings.

Happy Lover, Baby Dragon and Thunder Kid surrounded Solomon, their skin scratched and covered in soot. It didn't take long for the other duelists to find out that instead of getting rid of Solomon and thus putting him out of the game, three of their own monsters had instead taken the brunt of the attack and took his place in defeat. As they fell to the ground, the three capsule monsters vanished.

_There's not much time,_ Yugi finally managed to say after collecting himself. _If we don't end this quickly then the rest of our monsters will suffer the same way those did!_

Yami could only agree. Gathering himself, he raced forward, Celtic Guardian and Magician of Black Chaos following him closely. Each lunged at once from different directions, hoping to bring down the beast when another command reached their ears.

"_Arm of Clairvoyance!_"

In an instant, each of their attacks was deflected, and all three of them were flung to the ground. _Clairvoyance,_ Yugi recited. _He's reading our minds!?_

With Yami down, even momentarily, a nearby skull soldier lunged at Joey to attack as he was watching for more enemies. Almost out of nowhere, a familiar orange sword shot from nearby and stabbed the beast in the back, defeating it. "Nice work, Flame Swordsman!" Joey called.

Before the celebration could continue, however, two familiar hands sprouted from the ground and grasped Flame Swordsman's ankles, preventing its escape as the skull knights surrounded it and brandished their swords, slicing the Flame Swordsman as punishment for their lost comrade. Their vengeance was complete, Red-Eyes Black Dragon swiftly attacked with several bursts of dark, chaotic flame. The skeletons were gone, but Flame Swordsman was too weak to continue.

"Nice work," Joey said to the warrior before he could disappear. "We couldn't have gotten this far without your help." As his sentence finished, Flame Swordsman grinned and vanished. The other three duelists crowded around him, launching their own offensive against the numerous skeletons that began swarming in.

_This wreaks of Mind Scan,_ Yami grunted, sounding slightly discouraged. _How are we supposed to slay this fiend?!_

_Pegasus did the same thing to us in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament,_ Yugi pointed out. _He read our minds. A mind-shuffle won't work this time, but I think I know of another way to confuse him!_

Yami seemed doubtful. _How?_ He asked. _We both know what we're going to be doing! This isn't playing a card face-down, it's **war**!_

_I know, but I've got an idea…_

Listening intently, Yami observed the scene. Yugi continued relaying the plan to him as Joey spun around, suddenly finding himself wide open for attack. The Seven-Armed Fiend glared at the blonde, but hesitated as Yami rushed in front of him. "I'm the one you want, not him!" He shouted as he brandished his sword. _I hope this works!_

The Seven-Armed Fiend didn't seem to take very lightly to being taunted by the sword Yami carried, and prepared an attack. Grinning, Yami ran forward, the wadjet eye on his head and the Millennium Puzzle beginning to shine with a brilliant, golden light. As they rushed forward, Yami felt an off-hand wave of confusion, along with Alexander's echoing cries of bewilderment.

_It worked!_ Yugi cheered privately to Yami. _Since your mind is linked to the Millennium Puzzle, when he tried to read it he got trapped in the maze!_

Now deprived of its most powerful defense, the Seven-Armed fiend fired its Arm of Destruction wildly, but the energy from the Millennium Puzzle allowed Yami to diligently evade every single attack. The arms of entrapment began to rise from the ground as well, but not a single one reached him. With a final leap into the air, he began his strike. Celtic Guardian slashed across the creature's eyes, blinding them as Magician of Black Chaos engulfed the creature in a merciless swarm of dark magic. Yami promptly followed up by leaping into the air, and then striking straight downward, cleaving the great beast in two. It let out a roar of anguish before shattering to pieces.

Alexander's servants reappeared on the field, clutching their chests in shock as the Seven-Armed Fiend vanished, along with its numerous Skull Servants. Yami landed nimbly on the ground, smirking.

_We did it!_ Yugi cried triumphantly as Alexander's presence vanished from the Millennium Puzzle where it had been trapped. _The Seven-Armed Fiend is gone!_

_The fight isn't over yet,_ Yami said darkly, reminding Yugi of the scene around them. He turned his attention to Alexander. "It's about time you stopped hiding like a coward!" he roared angrily, pointing the tip of the blade precisely at the spot where Alexander was sitting, taunting him. "If you think you really do deserve your precious reward, then get down here and face me to prove it!"

**To be continued…**

* * *

The fight is far from over. More lies ahead, as well as the most powerful opponent...


	24. The Power of Unity

Prepare yourself for a slightly longer than usual chapter.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty-Four: The Power of Unity**

* * *

The five duelists faced off Alexander and his royal guards, knowing that even though the Seven-Armed Fiend was gone, they still had to face his subordinates and their own capsule monsters, as well as Alexander's Reshef. As they looked over the battlefield, however, they quickly noticed that they had done some damage. Each of his servants only had one more monster left.

Alexander was not happy about this situation. "Enough of this nonsense!" he shouted. "Now, my vassals, destroy these ameteurs!"

The oldest of the four servants was the first to act. "In the name of King Alexandros," he cried, "Go, Firewing Pegasus!" The horse rushed forward, soaring on wings of flame. Opening its maw angrily, a stream of fire rushed forward, consuming Tristan's Shovel Crusher and erasing it from the game. The boy cried out in pain as his companion was destroyed.

Garma Sword also took its own cue. The six-armed humanoid lunged, its arms a blur as the sabers clutched in its claws flew about. The flurry of strikes rammed into Dark Witch, whom screamed as she was eliminated. Tea choked on her own scream and sunk to her knees.

Joey would not have it. Angrily, he mounted Red-Eyes Black Dragon and took off. "I'll teach you to mess with _my _friends!" he protested, firing a stream of flame at Reshef. Before it even neared him, Reflect Bounder raced upward from the ground and sent the flames right back at him. Joey managed to pull Red-Eyes Black Dragon to the side just in time for the flames to soar past.

"Still hiding behind your servants?" Yami taunted, angry. "Join the rest of us and let's see how tough you really are!"

Alexander simply laughed.

_How are we supposed to defeat him, let alone get close?_ Yugi asked.

Yami narrowed his eyes in thought. _I've got a plan for that._ "Alright," he said, "You four need to lure away the monsters in the front so I can get near Reshef!"

"Sounds like a plan," Tristan cried. "Leave it to us!"

Racing forward, Red-Eyes Black Dragon snatched up the Reflect Bounder, throwing it to the side and sending it skidding across the ground. Tristan's Thunder Dragon sent a bolt of electricity into Garma Sword, distracting it momentarily. Seiyaryu and Curse of Dragon circled about each other, and both the Firewing Pegasus and the Total Defense Shogun lunged for them.

Yami took his cue and sped forward, sword brandished. His speed increased in each step he took, and as he reached Reshef, he turned his angle, running up the beast itself and slicing across where Alexander sat. "You may have a defense from afar," he sneered, "But now that I'm two feet from your face I'm afraid it's useless!" With that, he landed on the ground and prepared another strike.

"Wrong," Alexander replied. "My Reshef may grant me a powerful defense, but it also has a powerful _offense_ as well! Now, watch and learn!"

Yami had no time to be mocked. Various golden flaps opened up on the great Reshef's body on every inch, revealing small red dots. It didn't take him long to find out what they did when an omni-directional laser attack was launched, and he found himself right in the way of one of the beams. Thankfully, Yami was swept up off the ground by Magician of Black Chaos before he could be struck.

_Didn't count on __**that**__,_ Yami muttered. Yugi let out a low whimper as he swallowed nervously. While Celtic Guardian dodged the lasers deftly on the ground, Yami was being carried by the Magician of Black Chaos to a safer place. Yami knew he couldn't keep this up. If he didn't stop this madness soon, he and his friends would be hurt. As he dodged again, another thought occurred to him.

"Wait a minute!" Yami cried in surprise. "If you continue to fire, you'll endanger your _own_ team as well!"

Alexander sneered. "That's the difference between you and me," he said, grinning. "I don't rely on a _team_; I have a staff of subordinates whom service my every need. Like most things, when I'm through with them, _I destroy them!_"

The spirit's eyes narrowed in anger. This man didn't care what he did for power, as long as it ended up in his own hands…could his lust never be slaked?

_Yami! I think I found a weakness!_

The spirit perked up at Yugi's words. _What is it?_

_A blind spot! Right there!_

Yami quickly found where Yugi was pointing and ran there. His speed picked up quickly and the lasers faded down as Alexander lost sight of the warrior and Celtic Guardian. "Where are you?!" the man demanded, twisting Brisbane's body in every direction to look for them. "Show yourself!"

"Careful what you ask for!" Yami replied as he once again raced up Reshef's side, this time alongside Celtic Guardian, whom both slashed at the weak spot. As they landed back on the ground, the Magician of Black Chaos sent its own attack at Alexander, causing him to scream in pain. The lasers promptly turned off and Yami began another attack.

"The same trick won't work on me twice, fool!" Alexander cried. "Watch and learn!"

A wave of Alexander's hand set Yami on the alert, and the other four duelists quickly halted their attacks as the capsule monsters of Alexander's servants vanished, forming three separate spheres of energy. One was sent to the left arm, another to the right, and the final and larger one connected the two parts of the torso. What shocked Yami the most, however, was the fact that the servants remained standing. Alexander grinned manically. "Behold, my armor's most powerful form!"

On cue, the two great fists shot out, away from the armor. One followed Yami, whom sliced it with his sword. The crackling energy of the Chaos Blade fizzled for a moment, but then diverted down toward the sphere of energy. A cry of pain was heard from one of Alexander's servants. The same happened as the Magician of Black Chaos attacked the other arm and when Red-Eyes Black Dragon sent a burst of flame at the torso.

_What?!_ Yami cried. _Why are his servants the ones to feel the damage?!_

"_Pharaoh,_" Alexander called mockingly. "Are you finally beginning to understand the proper way for a king to use his servants?"

Yami, whom had found himself a perch on top of a line of pillars, and though he was tired, he was not about to give up his beliefs. "You're wrong," he protested loudly. "A true king respects his subjects!"

A low whistling sound from behind caught Yami's attention. Spinning around, he found no time to dodge as one of the projectile arms slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground. He rolled and tumbled, bouncing a few times before finally skidding to a stop.

_Yami!_ Yugi cried. _Are you okay?!_

The spirit did not answer. He was far more focused on what happened around him. He winced in pain, and barely found himself able to move, let alone speak. There was nowhere left to run, nothing left to run with.

"Take a good look at yourself," Alexander snarled, grinning. "This is what happens to those whom waste their time on pitiful things like kindness and friendship!"

"That's enough," Yami shot back, his anger betraying his condition. "I'll stand by my beliefs even if it kills me!"

Alexander only laughed. "And I believe I shall stand by my own. You see, a king that refuses to make proper use of his servants doesn't deserve to _have _any!"

Yami's eyes widened in terror, a feeling that only worsened when he felt Yugi's own panic mixing with his own. "You can't!" he cried. "Not my friends!"

"I _can_, and I _wil_l!"

A projectile arm slammed into the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, causing Joey to scream in agony as his dragon plummeted to the ground. The second crashed into Tea's Seiyaryu, and a similar cry came from the girl. Both Yugi and Yami trembled at the sight. _No!_ Yugi pleaded, even though no one could hear him. _Leave them alone!_

"Stop this!" Yami screamed.

But his call was not heeded. As the two animated weapons rebounded, Tristan and Solomon were also hit, and both crashed into the ground. As all four of them fell, Yami observed in horror as his friends struggled to move, but found themselves unable to. Yugi also watched, his face full of nothing but fear and panic, finding himself unable to move as the sight of his friends in such terrible pain had paralyzed him to the very core. Yami locked his gaze onto Alexander, not knowing whether to be furious or afraid. "You'll never get away with this!"

"I already have!" Alexander replied smugly, the hands facing each other to summon a sphere of impure energy. Yami didn't have to inspect it too closely to know that it was Reshef's most powerful attack charging up. "It's such a shame," Alexander continued sarcastically. "All that worrying about the safety of your supposed friends and in the end you couldn't do a thing to protect them. I guess it's my duty to put them out of their misery since you apparently won't."

"No!" Yami protested.

_Yami, we have to do something!_ Yugi cried. _I can't let them get hurt!_

_Then we're going to protect them with everything we have!_

Yugi whole-heartedly agreed. The Magician of Black Chaos needed no order, and placed itself in front of Solomon. Celtic Guardian put itself in a defensive stance in front of Tristan. Realizing that not everyone was protected, Yami removed the Duel Armor, and Black Luster Soldier once again appeared before him, jumping in front of Tea with its shield at ready. The rush of energy leaving his body caused Yami to stumble dangerously, but Yami knew that exhaustion was not his priority to remedy. Taking the last of his capsules out of his belt, he fired them with a newly found energy, and both Kuriboh and Hirotama Soul appeared before him. The sphere of flame immediately went to Joey's side. Kuriboh, however, did not move, and spread its arms out bravely as it stood its ground in front of Yami.

_Kuriboh,_ Yugi remarked quietly. _Why is he staying here with us?_

_He wants to protect you as well, Yugi,_ Yami replied, finally catching his breath. _He has a strong heart for his size._ He felt Yugi smile helplessly.

"What have we here?" Alexander observed. "The brave and mighty Pharaoh has given up his own protection in the name of friendship? How ludicrous! A true king would never value the lives of his servants!"

"I hate to admit it," Joey said, barely managing to find his voice through his own weakness, "But he's got a point…Forget us; you have bigger things to worry about!"

Yami kept his attention on Alexander, using what power he had left to watch him carefully, but he could sense Yugi completely disregarding Reshef and gazing desperately at his injured friends. _No,_ he protested, even though he knew they couldn't see or hear him in spirit form. _No…I-I can't!_

"He's right," Tristan wheezed. "If you lose, then we all lose! Winning this fight should matter more to you than we do!"

Yami felt a strong jerk in his mind and his chest throbbed in pain. Yugi had clenched his fists and looked away from his friends as though he were physically hurt from their words. _Stop it!_ He cried. _You're wrong!_

"Listen to reason, Yugi!" Solomon cried. "If you lose, then we _all_ lose! Take your monsters back!"

Yugi began to shudder in an indiscernible emotion. Fear, perhaps, maybe even denial. Whatever it was, Yami felt his control slipping as the strength of Yugi's feelings caused him to wince in ache. _No,_ Yugi protested, his words echoing unbearably in Yami's mind. _No…No!_

"Please, Yugi!" Tea cried, her voice still strained from the attack that had slammed into Seiyaryu. "You have to win this no matter what happens to us! You have to!"

Then, something happened that rarely ever occurred. Yami felt himself being jerked out of control as Yugi's emotions burst past their limit. He spun around, ignoring Reshef and Alexander entirely to face his companions. "I'm not about to desert you!" He cried, sobs becoming apparent in his voice. "We've come this far already by working as a team…as _friends_…and I'm not about to betray that, not for _anything_!"

_Yugi, wait…_

Yugi completely ignored Yami's words. His fists were clenched so tight that his fingernails threatened to draw blood from the skin on his palms. His teeth gritted tightly in anguish, his entire body trembling as tears spilled down his cheeks. "I don't _care_ what's at stake!" he screamed, half-resolute and half-pleading. "You're still my best friends, and _nothing_ is going to change that! If I have to walk to the ends of the world _and back_ for your sake alone, _then I will do it_!"

Alexander sneered malevolently at the scene below him. "Fine, then," he said. "I've given you more than enough time to prove that you are worthy of the prize in this game…but you _insist_ on putting the needs of your so-called _friends _above your own power!" He pulled his hands apart, empowering his attack further. "And now you shall pay!" The attack fired.

_The most important thing to me was always protecting my friends. That's what I wished for on the puzzle to begin with._

A beam of light raced forward, and the four duelists panicked as it neared them, travelling faster and faster. Yugi did not flinch, even as he heard the sounds of destruction behind him, closing in with a devastating speed.

_His determination to protect his friends and the people of this village far outweighed his concern for his own safety._

The beam closed in, demolishing all in its path. Not a single pebble was spared as the tainted radiance closed in. But even as the heat began to brush the back of his neck, Yugi remained still, his eyes narrowed in determination and his fists clenched tightly.

_Even if I can't go on forever, I'll protect them as long as I can…_

As the beam reached Yugi, the duelists cried out in horror.

…_no matter what._

Four beams of light shot from behind the four duelists, engulfing Yugi in a radiance even as the destruction neared them. The brilliance blinded them, and tears still dripped from Yugi's cheeks as the assault began to barely brush against his skin.

The light took eternities to fade as everyone's anticipation stayed their will to move. To their shock, they were unharmed, but their surprise lay in wait as they anticipated the fate of their beloved friend. Kuriboh could be heard whimpering in fear even as it valiantly protected its master.

It was incredible. Wings of plated steel spread from his back. The protection he wielded was so great and beautiful not even Reshef could match its might as its power visibly rose from it like elegant crimson flames. He stood, a single arm outstretched, and a fierce gaze in his eyes. The entirety of the attack had landed in the palm of his hand, and promptly dissipated into nothing.

"What's going on?" Alexander cried in shock. "Why didn't my attack work?!"

The four duelists behind Yugi pun around in shock. Their dragons were gone, each and every one of them. They did a double-take at the now-familiar person in front of them, and they suddenly realized what exactly had happened to their monsters. They smiled in realization that the odds had turned in another favor.

As happy as everyone was, however, Alexander was horrified. "No!" He cried. "I am the most powerful being on earth and I will not allow anyone to stop me!" Once more he shot forth a beam of light, but as it approached the new warrior it ceased. The energy again appeared in his hand, where he promptly crushed it in his own fist.

It was strange. They heard Yami speaking, but at the same time they also heard Yugi's voice. While they hardly knew what was going on, they had a vague idea. _**This ends now, Alexander!**_ They screamed together. _**Never again will you harm a single person, including your own disciples!**_

The man hardly heard him. How? How could he survive such an attack unscathed?! "What are you scheming?! You can't do this to me, Pharaoh!"

_**I can, and I will!**_

Shocked to hear his own words being turned against him, Alexander fired off his projectile arms in hopes of striking down his opponent as he soared into the air toward them. "I am the true king!" He protested. "I won't allow this!!"

But Yami and Yugi deftly evaded every single attack he threw their way. _**Your lust for power is so great, you don't care who you hurt as long as you get your filthy hands on it! However, in the end the person you end up harming the most is yourself!**_

The crimson flames protecting them intensified, forming the shape of a great dragon that tore through the air toward Alexander, crying out in fury.

_**Observe your fatal flaw, Alexandros!**_

The man watched with wide eyes and shrieked in horror as he could do nothing to stop the coming attack. His own power had left him, and now he was facing the fangs of his enemy. As Yami and Yugi closed in, he saw long, sharp talons being brandished, preparing to strike. It was only moments before they struck him, and the crimson inferno protecting the warrior shot through his throne, searing through completely to the other side.

A light engulfed the battlefield, and the sounds of battle slowly faded.

**To be continued…**

* * *


	25. Going Home

The final chapter. sniff I'm ganna miss this fic.

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters**

**Game Twenty-Five: Going Home**

* * *

He was back in control, Yami knew that much. Alexander was gone, and now they were back in the void, floating aimlessly. For some odd reason he felt very…light. Like someone had taken a weight off of his shoulders. As Yami glanced quickly about, he noticed that not only were the belts and armlets gone, but so was the duel armor. The game was over.

_Yami, what's going on?_

At the sound of Yugi's voice, Yami should have been surprised, but a calm stayed with him. _Patience,_ he said quietly. _I'm sure there's an explanation._

The air in front of them rippled, and Shadi appeared once more. Yami quirked an eyebrow. "Right on cue," he muttered, earning an odd look from the other four duelists.

"The final test to determine whom was most deserving of the game's ultimate prize has been completed," Shadi said. "King Alexandros chose to sacrifice his allies in order to further his own strength, while the Great Nameless Pharaoh sought to protect his allies, even at the cost of his own life or victory. These differences decided their fates, and it is now proven that the Pharaoh is the only one worthy of being called the true king."

_I take it we won?_ Yugi asked.

_Seems like it. Shadi has a thing for being a bit vague._

A light appeared next to Shadi, taking the form of a beautiful orb that swirled within itself, glowing with a pure light. "This belongs to you, Pharaoh," Shadi said. "Simply put, it contains the power necessary to rule the entire world."

Yami nodded politely. "Thank you, Shadi, but I have no need for this power."

"I realize that," Shadi replied, surprising Yami slightly. "Therein lies the paradox of the true king. For you see, he whom is most deserving of the power to unite mankind can do so without it."

Another brilliant light shone forth as Shadi vanished within the void. As it faded, the void was gone, and the group found themselves back in the pyramid. The door was closed, and all physical traces that they had played the enormous Shadow Game were gone, aside from one very exhausted person lying on the ground. Alex Brisbane drew a few deep and slow breaths as he lay unconscious on the floor.

"He looks exhausted," Tristan remarked, and it was hard to disagree. Alexander had shown no mercy in the fight, and the defeat had taken an enormous toll on him.

Yugi blinked for a few moments, realizing that he was now back in control._ Yami…? You okay?_

_Yes,_ came the reply. _I think this is enough adventure for me for one day. Besides, it won't do to have everyone worrying about the wrong person._

_Nice way to put it,_ Yugi grumbled, though he couldn't help but smile. Yami was right; it was he they should be worrying about, not the spirit. For a moment, however, he paused. _Wait, what do you mean by "one day?"_

Yami's attention was diverted before he could answer. _Yugi, look._

Looking up, they noticed a few shady figures standing nearby. It was none other than Alexander the Great, standing and smiling back at them, with the figures of his servants behind him. "Thank you, everyone," he said. "The dark side of my spirit is finally gone, and now I can finally rest in peace. Had it not been for your bravery, I would have been trapped in that game for eternity."

Yugi smiled and nodded. "Glad I could help," he said.

With another smile, Alexander turned to the ghosts of his servants. "My vassals," he said calmly, "I am not worthy of your loyalty, but I shall cherish it always." Taking his step to their side, he turned and waved to the duelists as a shimmering light surrounded him. His servants, realizing this man's connection with the other duelists, bowed politely. After a few seconds, he and his servants had faded completely to their eternal resting place.

Yugi smiled. "That was pretty cool," he said. "It's not every day you meet Alexander the Great."

"I beg to differ," Tristan replied, looking about ready to whimper.

"Why's that?" Tea asked.

_If this is about that melon of his,_ Yami remarked with a mischievous grin,_ I will not hesitate to take over just so I can truly burst out laughing._

_You have my total consent,_ Yugi replied with a grin of his own.

Tristan had to repress a groan. "Sheesh, am I the only one that sees it? Giant shadow games, people getting possessed by evil spirits…this was all completely insane."

"Insane?" Joey echoed. "When you hang out with Yugi, it's par for the course."

"Good point…"

As though the words had triggered it, the world around them began to tremble terribly. In shock, everyone stared about as the rumbling sounds grew. "The pyramid is collapsing!" Solomon cried, pulling Alex Brisbane off of the ground with a bit of help. "Let's get out of here!"

As they raced out of the pyramid, the group quickly noted that the traps had all been mysteriously disabled. Yugi made a quick promise to thank Shadi for his watchfulness as they made it out of the temple just before the entrance was concealed. Once outside, the group watched as the pyramid gradually sank beneath the ground, taking the game and the prize with it and causing an enormous cloud of dust to rise into the air.

"What made this happen?" Tea asked no one in particular. "It's not every day a pyramid sinks into the dirt."

"It's not every day you meet Alexander the Great, either," Joey remarked.

Solomon took the liberty of answering Tea's question. "Shadi's test is complete, so the pyramid served its purpose."

As the dust cloud cleared and all traces of the pyramid were gone, Yugi felt himself unable to pull his gaze away from where the great structure once stood. In the back of his mind, he felt Yami being unnaturally silent. _Something on your mind?_

_Yes, _Yami replied. _After our fifth trial, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon left me with a simple phrase, and I think I just now found its meaning._

_What'd she say?_

Yami seemed silent for a brief moment before speaking again. _She said, "What Yugi did was nothing short of what is admired in a true leader and friend, and therein lies the true power that you will need." I think what she was referring to was what you did in our battle with Alexander. You gave up your own safety to protect those dear to you, even if it meant your life as the price to pay._

Yugi smiled vaguely. _"As each piece comes together to make the Millennium Puzzle one, so the puzzle's power will unite the wielder's friends with a powerful and unstoppable bond." I remember hearing that from somewhere in my mind the first time I properly found out about you._

"Hey! Are you the kids that were in that plane crash an hour ago?!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Yugi swept his gaze to the source of the voice as everyone else did. "That's us," he said, barely recognizing one of the two men on the cliff as the copilot of their plane. He then spoke in a quieter tone. "But wasn't that a lot more than an hour ago?"

Tea spared a glance at her wristwatch, which had somehow come out of the game unscathed thanks to the armlet she had worn covering it. "Actually," she replied, "He's right. We crashed here at about noon but my watch says it's only one o'clock."

Solomon remained cheerful as ever. "Wake up, Alex," he said in a sing-song voice as he patted the man on the shoulder. "Naptime's over."

Yugi smiled. It was typical for his grandfather to do such things even after a crisis. When they had found him in the game he had displayed a similar show of the same casual manner he usually had. As Alex Brisbane's eyes opened again, he blinked in surprise. "Doctor Mutou…?" He said slowly. "Where are we? The last thing I remember we were in that pyramid…" He paused for a moment, glancing at the strangers around him. "And…who are these people?"

The old man chuckled in his trademark fashion, clapping a hand on Alex's shoulder. "I'll explain everything on the way back."

* * *

The pilots and rescue team were a bit surprised to see that there were six people instead of four, but Solomon still had his ways of convincing people that things were going to work out, and thus they were accepted on the flight. Brisbane was still looking thoroughly bewildered and had a half-pout on his face when they arrived at the helicopter since he was still at loss for information, and Yugi could tell that even though Solomon was still working out what kind of story to cook up for his colleague, he was relieved to finally be going home.

Joey was still a bit wound up. "Am I going to get a refund for those plane tickets?"

"You won them in a contest," Tea replied, rolling her eyes. "So they were free of charge."

"I think we got enough compensation with a few of the escapades we went on," Tristan piped up. "At least now I'll be able to eat a cantaloupe of any size and it won't run off on me."

"Tristan, that wasn't even a cantaloupe in the first place," Yugi replied, rubbing the side of his head in embarrassment. "Besides, I don't think that thing would have tasted good either way." That said, his mind wandered elsewhere. _Yami, what do you think Shadi meant?_

_About uniting mankind?_ Yami replied. When Yugi nodded, he shrugged slightly. _I'm not sure, to be honest. Anyone can change the world; you don't need a foreign power to do that. Perhaps that's what he meant._

The pilot of the helicopter finally appeared. "All set," he said. "We're ready for takeoff when you are."

Solomon and Brisbane were the first to board. As Joey started forward, however, he paused and turned to spare a look to his friends, careful that Brisbane would not overhear. "Actually, I have a question."

Yugi tilted his head a bit curiously. "What's that, Joey?"

"Will we ever get to hang out like normal teenagers and _not_ have to save the world?"

Everyone exchanged glances before chorusing together, "Nope!"

Joey sighed, partially dismayed but still amused as he climbed into the helicopter. "…yeah, I didn't think so."

**The End.**

* * *

And so the fic ends. I'm really going to miss writing it. As long as I'm here, though, I'd like to express my thanks to all of my readers and reviewers for sticking with me through this entire thing. You've been awesome, every single one of you!

* * *


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